


Amusement Park Love

by Angel_Without_Wings



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Character's Name Spelled as Hanji, Character's Name Spelled as Jaeger, Eren Yeager Has Heterochromia Iridum, M/M, Mikasa Ackerman & Levi Are Related, Oblivious Eren Yeager, Original Character(s), Pining Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Sexual Harrasment, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-04-05 06:55:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 46,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14038650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_Without_Wings/pseuds/Angel_Without_Wings
Summary: Levi gets dragged to an amusement park by his cousin Mikasa. There he finally comes face to face with his long time crush, Mikasa’s best friend, Eren Jaeger.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so  
> 1\. This is my first fanfic  
> 2\. There’s probably a lot of grammatical errors & bad sentence structure  
> 3\. Enjoy???

Levi sighed into the phone for the umpteenth time. There was silence on the other end followed by yet another drawn out “please”.  
“Come on Levi, I haven’t seen you in 4 years!”  
“Mikasa...why can’t we just do something indoors?” Levi questioned.  
His favorite cousin had been trying to rope him into an amusement park trip since he got back from University in France that morning. Levi wasn’t a people person and amusement parks were packed with nothing but people and their snot nosed kids. Not to mention the filth laying around everywhere. Really why were people so disgusting? He was ready to put an end to the conversation before Mikasa really wore him down, but he waited just a bit too long. “Levi,” she said solemnly, “I just thought we could have fun together. Like when we were kids.” FUCK. How could he say no to that? Levi breathed a heavy sigh in defeat before sealing his fate. “Ok, but don’t expect me to be polite to everyone.” He stated.  
“Of course not. Oh! I’m gonna bring my best friend along too. It’ll be fun I promise! I’ll see you tomorrow morning!”  
And with that Mikasa hung up.  
Her best friend huh? Levi’s fingers began to scroll through the photos on his phone until he came across the picture Mikasa sent him not too long ago. It was of her and her best friends smiling up at the camera in front of her new car. His steel blue eyes narrowed at the screen, lips pressing into a thin line. Which one would it be? Was she bringing the blonde haired brat or the brat with the beautiful mismatched eyes? The brat also known as Eren Jaeger, the brat of Levi’s dreams. He remembered when Mikasa started high school those four years ago and the first time she’d sent him a photo of her and Eren. He’d been so enamored by the tan beauty that he made it a point to find out more about him. Levi locked his phone and ran his hand through his jet black hair. Another sigh escaped his lips. “Alright”, he said to himself, “let’s see what tomorrow brings.”


	2. In person

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi meets Eren. Eren meets Levi. Mikasa is mom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter was so short and I have no life. So here you go! :)

Bright. It was the only word Levi could think of to describe what Eren was like in person. After exchanging more details via text the night before, he finally found himself in line at the amusement park. It was 10am on the dot just like Mikasa had planned. She had called him at 8:30am sharp and briefed him on the weather and her morning itinerary.  
“There’s going to be plenty of cloud cover and a slight chill. So dress accordingly.” She warned over the phone.  
“Chilly. Got it. Anything else?” Levi asked.  
“Yes. Eat a good breakfast. We’ll be eating lunch at the park, do you have a water bottle?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Extra cash?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Is your phone charged?”  
“Yes mom. Anything else?”  
“Nope. I’ll be picking you up at 9:30 it’s about a 20 minute drive, but we have to stop and pick up Eren. I want to be there by 10 so we can spend the day together. Be ready, I’ll see you in a bit.”  
Levi’s brain stopped functioning after “Eren”.  
True to her word she pulled up outside his childhood home at 9:30 exactly. Lucky for her Levi was a punctual person and he too liked to stick to a schedule. He got into the front seat of her car and turned to face his cousin. Mikasa was a beautiful girl. She had the classic Ackerman features; jet black hair, dark lashes, pale skin, a well defined jaw line, and a slightly pointed nose. They could have passed as brother and sister really. The only real big difference was the shape and color of her eyes. Mikasa’s mother was of Japanese descent and it showed in her. Levi couldn’t believe how much she’d grown. Of course he’d seen it in the pictures she’d sent, but it was different seeing it in person. Here she was 18 years old and fresh out of high school. It made him feel like an old man at the age of 23.  
“It’s been so long.” She said as she pulled out of his driveway.  
“Yeah.” He agreed.  
Mikasa smiled at him “I see you’re still a man of few words.”  
“You’re the same.” He teased.  
“Only sometimes.”  
Levi anxiously smoothed the fabric of his grey peacoat and blue turtle neck. He looked down at his black skinny jeans to make sure there wasn’t any stray lint. His black combat boots were shiny enough to see yourself in and when he stole a glance at himself in the side mirror his undercut looked to be in perfect condition. Of course his actions didn’t go unnoticed by Mikasa.  
“You trying to impress someone?” She smirked at him. She fucking smirked. Levi’s eyes narrowed into slits. The look he gave her usually had people shitting themselves, but Mikasa just continued to smirk.  
“What are you implying?” Levi asked in a dangerously low voice.  
“You’re not exactly subtle Levi.”  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
Mikasa cleared her throat and in a mocking voice began to repeat all of Levi’s questions. “‘So what’s this Eren like? How’s Eren? You said Eren played flute? Is that tan natural? You said Eren got into a fight is he ok?’ And so on...”  
Levi was sure that this was the first time anyone had gotten a shocked expression out of him. Was he really that obvious? He was about to rebuttal when the car door opened and a loud “Geez Mikasa why couldn’t we sleep in?” broke the silence. Levi was stunned. When had they stopped moving? How long had he been staring at Mikasa like a deer in headlights? Holy fuck was that Eren in the back seat? He turned to look and was blinded by huge expressive eyes, one golden in color the other a vibrant green, and a smile that could rival the sun. “You’re Levi!” Eren practically bounced in his seat as he extended his hand to him. “I recognize you from Mikasa’s photos! She’s told me a lot about you!” Levi glanced down at Eren’s extended hand. Then back up at the brat. He was so screwed. Eren pulled his hand back, his smile faltering just a little. That’s when Levi realized he’d been staring too long. Strike one Levi. He thinks you hate him now. He thought bitterly. “Eren,” Mikasa interrupted, “did you bring your bag? Your water bottle? Did you remember to eat something before you left? Is your phone charged?”  
“UGH yes mom.” Eren said with a roll of his eyes.  
“So she does it to you too.” Levi stated with a serious expression. Eren burst into laughter. “Yes!” He practically shouted.  
So now here they were in line at the front gate and packed in like sardines. Eren stood next to Levi occasionally bumping his shoulder as they shuffled closer to the front of the long ass line from hell. He seemed to be fiddling with the lace of his grey hoodie. Levi couldn’t help but think that the green jacket he wore over it suited him well. He also thought his jeans fit him well too, but he wouldn’t let that thought sit too long. Behind them Mikasa was going over the contents of her little white purse. Her red scarf hiding the bottom half of her face. Occasionally the breeze would stir the hem of her brown skirt. Levi was thankful the skirt was a high waist one that went down to her ankles. He didn’t want to have to murder anyone for leering at her today. He was also thankful that her pink long sleeve was not low cut like some of the girls he saw in line. He didn’t know what he’d do then. God you’re acting like her father. She’s not a kid anymore. He mused. Levi let out a sigh. Maybe he was getting old. Someone at the front was making a big deal about the pricing for kids admission and it was really pissing Levi off. He just wanted to get inside already. “Sooo what should we do first?” Eren’s voice broke him out of his thoughts.  
“I’m not sure.” He replied.  
“I need a funnel cake.” Eren said with a dreamy look on his face.  
“Didn’t you just eat breakfast?”  
Eren chuckled before leaning down to Levi’s hight and whispering “I forgot, don’t tell Mikasa.” If there was one thing Levi was sure of, it was that he was buying Eren that damn funnel cake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting better? This whole thing was inspired by an ad featuring Levi, Eren, and Mikasa.


	3. The feelings, The Rollercoaster, and The Stalker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi has a heart and a stalker. Also there’s a roller coaster ride.

They’d made it into the park at long last. Eren looked like a kid in a candy store and even Mikasa wore a huge smile on her face. It wasn’t exactly Levi’s cup of tea, but seeing Mikasa and Eren light up made it worth it. Eren’s happiness was worth it. Honestly these feelings were a bit foreign to him. He had technically just met the kid and yet here he was, ready to give him the world. Levi hadn’t even dated anyone in years. There were some people in his middle school and high school years, but they never lasted more than a few weeks before he realized it wasn’t real. When Levi first saw Eren in that photo something just clicked. Was it love at first sight? Wait, was this love?  
“Levi?” Eren tapped his shoulder, concern in his voice.  
“Are you ok? Your scowl just scared a little kid.”  
“Oh he’s fine. His face is just naturally scary.” Mikasa chimed in. Levi resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at her like he would have when they were younger. Instead he turned to give Eren a reassuring nod. “I’m fine. I was just thinking.” He said.  
Their first order of business was target practice apparently. Eren had grabbed Mikasa’s arm and took off in the direction of a game involving balloons and darts. Unfortunately Eren’s aim wasn’t the best. His last dart missed by a few inches. “Damn,” Eren said as he stepped away from the booth, “I almost had it.” His pouty face was too adorable. Levi couldn’t resist the urge to want to win the game for him. “Was there something you wanted?” Levi asked. Eren’s finger pointed up to the prizes. Levi tried to pay attention, but a bit of movement caught his eye. He looked to his left to see a shady looking figure in a baseball hat move swiftly behind a group of loud ass teenagers. Levi’s eyes narrowed at the sight.  
“Levi stop glaring at everyone.” Mikasa’s words brought his attention back to her and Eren.  
However the dart game and the prize were long forgotten as Eren once again took off dragging Mikasa towards a large and winding roller coaster. The behemoth of a ride was called “The Titan” and was one of the parks most popular features. “Eren we don’t have to run!” Mikasa shouted as Eren continued towards the attraction. Levi had no problems keeping up, but some movement near him stopped him in his tracks. That same shady hat person was jogging in their direction. Levi tried to get a better look over the crowd (being short sucked), but they expertly hid behind a shaved ice stand. “Levi!” Eren yelled from his new found spot in line his arm was waving a mile a minute. Levi took one last glance behind him, but didn’t see anyone.  
In line Eren was buzzing with excitement, Mikasa was trying to catch her breath, and Levi was on high alert. Who was that person? He swore they were following him. Eren’s excited chatter filled his ears.  
“Mikasa this is going to be so crazy! Look at this thing! It’s colossal! Right Levi?!?”  
“That’s a big ass roller coaster.” Levi agreed. A shit eating grin spread across Eren’s face. He raised his hand just slightly above Levi’s head and stated “You must be this tall to go on this ride.” Mikasa instantly covered her mouth with her scarf and turned away. “Oh?” Levi questioned. Sure he was probably head over heels for the kid, but he’d be damned if he let anyone insult his hight. Levi got on his tip toes and invaded Eren’s space. Their noses were now touching and he put on his trade mark glare. “You got jokes brat?” He practically growled. Poor Eren looked like he was about to shit himself before Levi pulled away with a small smirk on his lips. “Relax brat, I’m not gonna kill you.” Eren breathed a sigh of relief and Mikasa just rolled her eyes at the whole scene.  
Fortunately for Levi he was in fact tall enough to ride The Titan. The whole thing was exhilarating. Being high enough to touch the sky made him feel free. The drops were steep and fast and the climb back up made him feel alive. If he closed his eyes he felt like he was performing the various twists and turns with his own body only he didn’t want to close his eyes for too long. He’d ended up seated right next to Eren and it was a beautiful sight. Instead of screaming like everyone else he was laughing. Levi had heard him laugh plenty that morning, but somehow this was different. His laughter was like a beautiful melody to Levi. It was light and airy and sounded like Eren had found his true happiness by flying through the sky. His smile was genuine and those beautiful mismatched eyes of his sparkled with delight. Without thinking Levi reached out and grabbed Eren’s hand which encouraged Eren to let go of the harness and throw their arms into the air. The fingers of his free hand combed through the wind. Levi made sure to burn this sight of Eren into his memories.  
Putting his feet back on solid ground felt wrong. His body still felt like it was flying. Levi followed Mikasa’s lead to the nearest tree and the three of them stood beneath it as they attempted to regain their bearings. “That was amazing!” Eren exclaimed in a breathy voice.  
“It was.” Levi agreed.  
Mikasa simply nodded her head in agreement. She’d begun to unzip her bag and pulled out the map of the park. “Where to now?” She asked Eren. As the two huddled over the map Levi saw it two trees away to his left. That damn baseball hat again. The shady figure quickly ducked behind the trunk of the tree as soon as they noticed Levi’s gaze on them. “Hey,” he said over his shoulder, “I’ll be right back.” Both Mikasa and Eren only hummed in acknowledgement as they continued to plot a course through the park. Levi made his way towards the tree hoping he could catch the punk before they fled again. As soon as they were within reach Levi reached out to grab them. They attempted to runaway, but Levi managed to catch a fistful of their navy sweatshirt and slammed them back into the tree trunk. “Who the fuck are you and what do you want?” He snarled as he knocked the offending cap off their head. He was not prepared to be met with a manic laugh and a familiar bespectacled face. “Awww Leviiiiii that hat cost me moneyyy.” They whined.  
“Hanji what the fuck?!”  
“A little birdie told me you were meeting the love of your life here today.”  
“That doesn’t explain what the hell you’re doing here following me around like a fucking creep!” Levi exclaimed. Hanji only laughed more before answering. “I’m hurt Levi. Why didn’t you tell me you were in love? So, have you proposed yet? Did I miss it? Oh no I wanted to see it for myself! My little Levi is growing up.” They pretended to wipe tears from their eyes. Levi felt his blood pressure rising. Why did his best friend have to be so...abnormal? All he could do was pinch the bridge of his nose and sigh. “So what, you followed me here so you could see him for yourself, observe our interactions, and determine if this is the real deal or not?” Levi asked even though he already knew the answer. Hanji brought their fist down into their open palm and exclaimed “Precisely!” Suddenly their expression softened and they dropped the eccentric tone of voice. “Seriously Levi, I know you’ve been lonely and this kid has had your attention for four years! I just want you to be happy. Plus he’s a real cutie.” They chuckled and winked at Levi. He sighed once more before saying “Hanji, go home.” Hanji cackled like a mad scientist before running off and yelling over their shoulder “I’ll be in touch!”


	4. Development

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi have a moment.

Two hours they’d been in the park doing all kinds of nonsense. Levi was shocked at how much fun he was actually having, not that you could tell by looking at him. He enjoyed spending time with Mikasa again and he was grateful for the chance to truly get to know Eren. The kid was incredible. Sure Levi had learned some basics and heard stories from Mikasa, but actually interacting with him and hearing things from his point of view was completely different. It was eye opening to the true nature of Eren Jaeger. At the moment they stood outside the restrooms waiting for Mikasa. There was a bit of a line for the ladies room and the thought made Levi cringe. It had to be a shit fest in there. He himself had refused to even set foot into the men’s room until Eren pulled a pack of sanitizer wipes from his bag claiming “Mikasa told me what a clean freak you are, her words not mine, and I figured these would come in handy.” Levi had never thought about marriage before in his life, but at that moment he almost took Hanji’s advice and proposed on the spot. The fact that Eren didn’t seem to be judging him for his OCD habits only made him feel like he was falling harder. It almost made him feel like maybe he was falling too fast.  
As they waited for Mikasa to finish up, Eren took it upon himself to fill the silence. He was telling Levi about the last time he’d visited an amusement park with his mom.  
“I was maybe 5 years old at the time. My dad was busy at the hospital so it was just us. Kind of a mother and son date.” Eren’s smile faltered a little as he spoke, but he kept going.  
“I remember I was so scared to go on this kiddie roller coaster without her. They said adults weren’t allowed on due to weight or some shit, but I really wanted to try it. She told me that in life you just have to take a chance no matter how terrified you are because it was the only way you could ever know what you’re truly capable of. She said she couldn’t always be there to hold my hand through it all and I’d have to rely on myself one day.” Eren’s voice tapered off into a whisper, his eyes blurred with tears. “I wish,” his voice came out quiet but thick, “I wish she was still here to hold my hand sometimes.”  
Levi watched as a single tear slid down Eren’s tan cheek. He moved so he was standing directly in front of Eren and placed his hand on the side of his face, his thumb gently wiping the wetness away. Eren’s big gold and emerald eyes looked straight into Levi’s cold blue ones with such sadness that he wasn’t sure what he should say. He chose his words after a beat of silence between the two. If Eren was willing to open up to him, he should be willing to open up too.  
“I understand how you feel. Sometimes, I still feel so lost without my mom.” Levi said. He watched as compassion filled Eren’s eyes and his hand came up to grasp Levi’s own. They stood like that for a moment, just staring into each other’s eyes as if they were trying to see into the other’s soul. It wasn’t until some snotty brat nearby whispered “get a room” that Eren’s face turned a bright red and Levi quickly pulled away.  
“Um I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make things sad and awkward.” Eren mumbled as he nervously rubbed at the back of his neck. His face still scarlet.  
“Don’t apologize,” Levi stated, “it’s ok to get emotional sometimes and it was that punk ass kid who made things awkward.”  
Eren laughed at Levi’s words and it gave Levi the biggest feeling of accomplishment.  
‘I put that smile there.’   
He didn’t want to say it out loud, but he found the whole thing far from awkward. In fact it felt so natural to give and seek comfort from Eren. The skin on Levi’s palm burned with the memory of Eren’s soft cheek and its warmth.  
“Eren you’re crying.” Suddenly Mikasa was back and in Eren’s face. Technically he was no longer crying, but his eyes were still slightly red and puffy.  
“What happened!” She demanded to know as she turned on Levi. He was a bit shocked at her intensity and had to wonder if this is what it was like to be on the receiving end of his own rage.  
“Mikasa I’m fine! Nothing bad happened. Levi didn’t do anything to me.” Eren whined as he tugged at Mikasa’s arm. She turned back to face him again, all anger leaving her face.  
“Are you sure you’re ok? Eren what happened?” She asked.  
“I was remembering my mom.” He whispered back.  
It seemed like Mikasa understood that she should let this one go. She turned back to Levi and with an apologetic smile asked if he was feeling hungry.  
“Yeah. I can eat.” Levi replied.  
Then he remembered something Eren had said earlier.  
“Hey brat, you still want that funnel cake?”  
Eren’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Levi swore those eyes would be the death of him, but at least he’d die looking at something beautiful.


	5. Funnel cake and Contemplation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi buys Eren that funnel cake.

“You spoil him Levi.” Mikasa stated as Levi plopped two different funnel cakes down in front of Eren. The trio stopped for lunch at one of the park’s overpriced restaurants and now they sat at a table outside. They picked a spot specifically in front of a funnel cake vendor. Levi couldn’t decide if he should get the treat with the strawberry sauce or without it. So he went with both because why the fuck not?  
“Levi, you didn’t have to waste your money on me.” Eren protested.  
“It’s fine I wanted to buy you one.” Levi countered.  
“One! This is two!”  
“You don’t want them? I just wasn’t sure which one was your favorite so I bought them both.”  
“No! I do want them, but why would you spend so much on me? You already paid for my cheeseburger.”  
Eren tilted his head as he looked at Levi in confusion.  
“Are you pulling a Mikasa on me?” Eren asked.  
“What exactly is ‘pulling a Mikasa’?” His best friend asked incredulously.  
“You coddle me. I could’ve bought my own food.” Eren responded with just a hint of irritation in his voice.  
Levi knew Eren could be a bit of a hot head and the last thing he wanted was to upset him on their first...not date.  
“Eren,” he stated firmly, “I’m not trying to ‘pull a Mikasa’ on you. I just want to treat you. You deserve it.”  
Any sign of irritation that was on Eren’s face quickly faded away only to by replaced by guilt.  
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to assume.”  
“It’s fine Eren,” Levi reassured him, “your fiery temper is one of the things I like about you. It means you won’t just roll over and take shit.”  
Eren beamed at his appraisal. Meanwhile Mikasa shot Levi a look that read ‘You’re being forward today.’ Levi just shrugged and gave her one back that looked a lot like he was saying ‘What’s your point?’ She playfully rolled her eyes at him.  
“Wow. You guys just had an entire conversation with your eyes.” Eren said in awe. That got both Levi and Mikasa to crack a smile.  
Eren dug into his funnel cake with gusto, but not before asking Levi if it was ok that he share them both with everyone. It was perfectly ok. Levi watched completely mesmerized as Eren picked up a strawberry and slowly bit into it. His eyes slipped shut, his plump lips formed perfectly around the fruit, and he let out a satisfied hum. Levi felt a slight pain in his shin and realized Mikasa had kicked him from her place across the table. He then realized she kicked him because he was staring and she probably guessed that his mind had gone into the gutter. Now he felt like a pervert.  
A sudden persistent buzzing came from Eren’s back pack on the table. It was either Levi’s phone going off or Eren’s, it was agreed earlier that anything him and Mikasa didn’t want to carry or couldn’t carry would go into the bag. Levi watched as Eren used a sanitary wipe on his hands before digging around in the back pack and pulling out his phone.  
“It’s not mine.” Eren said as he looked at the screen of his smartphone.  
Levi stretched his hand out and Eren passed him the bag. ‘Who the hell is blowing up my phone?’ He wondered. Maybe it was Uncle Kenny, but he wasn’t one to disturb Levi unless it was an emergency or important. Levi clicked the home button and the screen lit up revealing several messages, all from a certain shitty glasses. 

Hanji  
LEVIIIIII how’s it going??

Hanji  
LEVI LEVI HAVE YOU KISSED YET?

Hanji  
Come on shorty don’t leave me hanging! 

Hanji  
UPDATE ME D:

Hanji  
Tell Mikasa I said hi! I miss seeing her on a near daily basis. Also tell your new boyfriend I said hi too! ;P

Hanji  
I’m telling Erwin about your new boyfriend! He’ll be so proud of you!

Levi quickly unlocked his phone and typed in a short, but sweet reply. It was the middle finger emoji. Hanji was quick to respond.

Hanji  
HAHAHAHA does Eren know you’re a rude little one??

He didn’t even bother to reply. He just tossed the phone back into Eren’s bag and let out a long sigh. His hand ran through his raven hair in irritation. Both his companions looked like they wanted to know what that was all about. Levi simply said that it wasn’t important and went back to enjoying the funnel cakes. His eyes focused on the sugary concoction. He couldn’t stop thinking about how Hanji had called Eren his new boyfriend. He knew he wanted that statement to be true, but would it ever be? Who was to say that Eren would even be interested in him? Come to think of it, did Mikasa ever mention what his sexual orientation was? He never asked. He did remember Mikasa saying something about some Annie chick. He thought back to that email and recalled that Eren had agreed to take Annie to a valentines dance because some guy they called “Horse Face” had told Eren what an idiot he was being for not realizing what Annie was getting at. If he remembered correctly this chick openly flirted with Eren and he never got the hint. That didn’t mean anything though. It could just mean that Eren was really dense. Levi’s thin eyebrows drew together in concentration. He continued to pick at the funnel cake in front of him and chewed slowly as remembered more about Eren and Annie. Something happened at the dance and Eren got flipped on his ass, him and Annie never went out again.  
One failed date didn’t mean anything though. It could just be that he wasn’t interested in Annie that way. It didn’t mean that he wasn’t interested in women at all. Levi felt his heart sink at the thought. His stomach felt like it was caving in on itself, but he continued to eat so the two in front of him wouldn’t notice. He sneaked a glance up at Eren who was happily sucking the powdered sugar off his finger and watching the nearest roller coaster as it reached its peak and then descended. Eren was so beautiful to him. Sudden pain shot up his shin and he realized that Mikasa had kicked him yet again.  
“The fuck Mikasa?! I wasn’t thinking anything bad!” Levi angrily defended.  
Mikasa just shrugged at him and hid her face behind her scarf. Eren looked at them both in utter confusion, his finger still in his mouth.


	6. Vomit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Food vomit, word vomit, and...dinosaurs?

In hindsight, eating cheeseburgers and two funnel cakes was probably overkill. Eren had insisted he was ok to go on a giant spinning ride immediately afterward, which is why they were now huddled around a trash can as he puked his guts out. Mikasa held his bag while Levi rubbed circles into his back in an attempt to comfort him. A couple of teenage girls and their boyfriends passed by and made disgusted faces at the sight. The boys laughed and pointed like immature jerks. Both Levi and Mikasa shot them their deadliest glares.  
“You shits have a problem?” Levi growled out.  
The group was quick to runaway from the two angry Ackermans.  
“That’s what I thought.” Levi mumbled to himself.  
Eren soon straightened up and Mikasa passed him a water bottle so he could rinse his mouth out.  
“I’m sorry. I’m causing a scene aren’t I?” Eren asked in embarrassment.  
Levi looked at him with a fondness in his eyes. This damn brat could be so stubborn. He reached up and flicked Eren in the forehead causing him to flinch and immediately rub at the spot.  
“You should have listened to Mikasa you idiot.” Levi remarked.  
Eren smiled sheepishly at him. It was true. Mikasa had argued that Eren should wait before going on anything crazy, but of course he didn’t want to listen to reason. Levi figured this would just serve as a learning experience. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a stick of mint gum.  
“You’re gonna need this.” He said as he handed it to Eren.  
It was silently agreed that the next thing they did should be something a little more mellow. They didn’t want to risk another incident. The three of them moseyed through the park looking for something to do. Levi noticed that Eren had stopped and was staring in the direction of a face painting and caricature set up. He nudged Mikasa with his elbow and motioned in the direction Eren was looking at.  
“Is that something you wanna do?” Levi asked as he approached Eren.  
“Yes,” he answered, “my mom and I got matching designs on our faces that one time.”  
“Then let’s do it.”  
“Huh?”  
Eren tilted his head and leaned closer to Levi. He seemed to be scrutinizing Levi’s face before he busted out laughing. Levi would be lying if he said he wasn’t offended by the action. Mikasa was quick to hide behind her scarf.  
“What the hell is so funny?” Levi questioned.  
His eyes narrowed and one thin eyebrow arched up. Eren cleared his throat and began waving his hands about in a placating manner before he began rambling.  
“Oh no I wasn’t laughing at your face! I mean I was, but not for the reason you think! You’re face isn’t funny! It’s just...that...um...you usually look so serious all the time.” He stammered.  
When Levi’s facial expression didn’t change, Eren continued on.  
“I mean that’s not a bad thing! It’s not bad! You’re face is actually really attractive, you have a great jawline and...Oh! Forget I said that! I just...meant that...um...”  
By this point Eren was as red as a tomato and Mikasa was laughing too hard for her scarf to hide. Eren’s words sunk into Levi’s mind. He now knew that Eren seemed to think he was attractive. Did that really mean anything though? If anything it just meant that Eren didn’t think he was ugly.  
“Um what I was trying to say was that I just can’t picture you with a cutesy design on your face.” Eren said as he fiddled with the lace of his hoodie. His face was slightly less red, but he refused to make eye contact with Levi. Mikasa had gathered herself enough to weigh in on the matter.  
“He could always get something badass, like a skull.” She said.  
That was how the three of them all ended up with matching skulls on their cheeks. At first Levi had been hesitant about letting someone touch his face with their dirty brushes, but Eren’s smile of encouragement seemed to be all the convincing he needed. He figured he’d just wash his face really well when he got home that evening.  
“Mikasa can I see the map!” Eren suddenly exclaimed.  
It was clear that he had something he wanted to do in mind. Mikasa paused to pull the map from her purse. Eren eagerly took it from her hands and began scanning a list of times on the back.  
“We can make it!” He shouted in excitement.  
Both Levi and Mikasa gave him a confused look.  
“To the kids show! The one with the dancing dinosaurs!” He explained.  
Levi was still a little confused. Why would Eren want to sit through a kids show? He didn’t have much time to think about it though because Eren had grabbed his hand and was running them in the direction of the kiddie zone. Mikasa shouted something as she attempted to catch up, but Levi wasn’t too sure what it was. He was too shocked by the fact that Eren had chosen to grab his hand. Usually he grabbed Mikasa by the arm or wrist, but this time he’d grabbed Levi’s hand. Levi really wanted to believe it meant something, but even if it didn’t he would still cherish this moment. Levi couldn’t believe how right it felt and how perfectly their hands seemed to fit together. It was like Eren was meant for him and he was a little concerned that something as simple as hand holding had spurred that thought. Was he getting too ahead of himself? Was this what true love felt like? Levi wasn’t sure of the answer to any of those questions, but it wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on in the moment. All his thoughts be damned because Eren’s excited laughter wrapped around him like a song as they drew closer to their destination. Levi might have been pushing it, but he didn’t really care as he decided to give Eren’s hand a gentle squeeze and he was pretty sure he felt Eren squeeze back.


	7. Dinosaurs, Torture, and Almost Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi hates the show.

If anyone besides Eren “too good to be true” Jaeger had asked Levi to sit through a 30 minute show where three multi colored dinosaurs sang about friendship and performed watered down covers of mainstream pop songs, Levi would have said no and been done with the whole ordeal. In fact, he probably would have said you had shit for brains just for asking him such a ridiculous question, but of course it was Eren who had asked and he couldn’t say no to the brat when he was so excited to see the show. So yes, Levi “I will fuck you up” Ackerman was seated in a sea of children and parents while three multi colored dinosaurs sang cheesy songs and crap pop covers.   
Levi couldn’t help but wonder why? Why dinosaurs? Why not superheroes or fairies or some shit? As he glanced around the kiddie area he suddenly understood why. The whole zone was dinosaur themed. There was a spinning egg ride, a stegosaurus rollercoaster, a huge brontosaurus slide, and other things of that nature. Honestly how did he not notice any of this on his way in? Ohhh that’s right. Levi looked to his left to see Eren thoroughly enjoying the show. He had been so distracted by Eren, Eren’s hand in his, his messy brown hair tousled by the breeze, his tan skin, and everything about him really. He was so absorbed in Eren that he failed to pay attention to his surroundings. Hell, he wasn’t even paying attention to the show most of the time. Half of the agonizing experience was spent staring at Eren as inconspicuously as he could.   
Levi sighed and turned his attention back to the Dino show just in time for their closing number and once the music started a very audible “fuck no” left Levi’s mouth while an ear splitting scream left both Eren’s and Mikasa’s. The two of them looked like they’d just won the lottery and were bouncing in excitement. Of all the songs in human history to pick from, they picked THAT song. The one song that Levi couldn’t stand for the life of him. The one song that made him want to stand up and punch someone out or better yet, have someone punch him out so he wouldn’t have to hear it anymore. One of the dinosaurs had disappeared leaving only a blue and pink dinosaur standing on stage to perform the duet. Much to his horror the whole crowd began cheering wildly as soon as the accursed song began playing and the two dinosaurs began dancing with each other. Levi was sure he was in a living nightmare when it got worse. Eren had thrown his arms around Levi, effectively trapping Levi’s own arms at his side. Mikasa too threw herself onto Levi, which served to reinforce his cage. Both Eren and Mikasa began belting the lyrics to the song while rocking an enraged Levi side to side between them.   
“Don’t go breaking my heart!” Eren sang at top volume.  
“I couldn’t if I tried!” Mikasa answered back.   
“Oh, honey, if I get restless...”  
“Baby, you’re not that kind!”  
“Don’t go breaking my heart!”  
“You take the weight off of me!”  
“Oh, honey, when you knock on my door...”  
“Oooh I gave you my key!”  
Ooh and nobody knows how tortured Levi was in that moment. Well maybe they did. Since he couldn’t escape the song he made damn sure the two brats encasing him knew he was not enjoying it and that they would pay for holding him hostage.   
“I will break every bone in your bodies!” He hissed at Eren and Mikasa.   
Unfortunately his threat only encouraged the two to sing louder and rock him harder. So of course he continued to threaten their lives.  
“I swear I will rip your lungs out and make you eat them if you do not let me go. I’m not kidding. I will bash both of your shitty brains in with my foot!”  
It was the longest four minutes and twenty six seconds of Levi’s life. When he finally gave up on getting Eren and Mikasa to let him go a couple of questions came to mind. For starters, why did they know every single word to the song? They were singing it like it was second nature to them. Second, why did Eren’s singing voice sound so good? It was deep and charming. It almost made him forget what song he was singing. Almost. His last question was why? Just why? Every time the blue dinosaur spun the pink one he wished that it would go flying off the stage and the show would have to end, but of course that didn’t happen.   
When finally the song ended and the stupid dinosaurs walked off stage, both Eren and Mikasa let go of Levi and began laughing.   
“I know how much you’ve always loved that song.” Mikasa said as she poked Levi in the arm. The sarcasm in her voice didn’t go unnoticed. When he didn’t respond to her she poked him again.   
“You two,” he growled out, “better fucking run.”  
Just like that Eren and Mikasa bolted up from their seats and took off towards the Dino play park. Levi followed after them at a speed that could give The Flash a run for his money. He was about to grab Mikasa by the arm when she dropped to her hands and knees and crawled into a long green tunnel in the sand. A bunch of kids followed in after her and Levi cursed his luck. There was no way he was crawling through that disgusting thing. He figured he’d wait for her to come out the other end, but the second she did the kids that came out after her grabbed onto her arms and begged for her to play with them some more. She looked a little distressed, having never been the best with kids, but they just dragged her in the direction of some rocking velociraptors. He smiled smugly at her as she shot him a desperate look. Now onto his second target. He scanned the play area and immediately found his prey. Eren was sitting atop the huge brontosaurus slide with a couple of kids standing around the bottom of it. The damn brat smiled at Levi when he noticed he’d been found. Levi approached the slide with slow and determined steps.   
“Jaeger,” He shouted, “get your ass down here now!”  
“No!” Eren shouted right back.   
All of the kids at the base of the slide started giggling while some of the parents gave Levi a disapproving look.   
“You said a bad word.” A blonde boy snickered.   
“He says he’s hiding from a scary small man.” A little girl with two long black braids said to him.   
‘SMALL?! He’s dead. I’m gonna murder his cute ass!’ Levi thought to himself. How dare Eren poke fun at his height for a second time that day. The brat had some balls. One of the kids apparently got tired of waiting and was making his way up the dinosaurs long neck. The slide was made to look like this huge brontosaurus was sleeping and it’s neck was the stair case while the back and the tail made up the slide. Levi was actually amazed by how large the thing was. He figured all of these kids must have some balls if they were willing to climb up and slide down the thing.   
When the kid made it to the top he shouted “move it’s my turn” and roughly pushed Eren down the slide. Eren screamed out of pure shock, he didn’t see the kid come up behind him, and landed unceremoniously on his ass in the sand. Levi was on him in a second. He grabbed Eren by the collar and brought him to his eye level. Eren smiled nervously and tried to get away, but Levi wasn’t having it. He wrapped his arms tightly around Eren as he attempted to run again and struggled with him for a bit.   
“Quit struggling.” Levi demanded.   
“No! You’ll never take me alive!” Eren yelled dramatically.  
Then without any warning the same kid that rudely pushed Eren down the slide slammed into the both of them and yelled for them to get out of the way. This caused them to lose their footing and sent them crashing into the sand. Levi landed on top of Eren, his arms on both sides of his head and his knee between his legs. He lifted himself a bit and stared down at the beautiful boy beneath him. Eren stared back up at him with wide eyes and pink cheeks. Those mismatched eyes were bewitching up close and Levi couldn’t stop himself from staring straight into them. The longer he stared the more they beckoned him to get closer and so he shifted some and lowered himself slightly. Eren’s breath hitched which drew Levi’s attention away from his eyes and to his lips. Levi so wanted to capture those plump and pink lips with his own. He was so close to closing the distance between them. Their breath mingled together and their noses rubbed one another.   
“Umm,” Eren’s voice came out like a squeak, “your knee is touching me.”  
The reality of the situation hit Levi like a ton of bricks. He’d fallen on Eren, whose lips were not his for kissing, his knee was basically molesting him, and they were in a public place. Not just any public place, a kiddie zone. He heard an adult clear their throat and hopped off of Eren in an instant.   
“Shit I’m sorry! Are you ok?” Levi questioned, worry clear in his voice.   
Eren sat up slowly and only nodded his head as he looked away from Levi. His cheeks had turned a bright shade of red and he chewed at his bottom lip. Levi had no idea how to handle this situation. He’d just gone and made things awkward by being a creep.   
“Sorry.” He said again. It felt like the only thing he could say. Eren just shook his head and smiled awkwardly at him. He was rubbing nervously at the back of his neck. Levi figured the best thing to do was act like nothing ever happened so he stood up and offered his hand to Eren.   
“Come on,” Levi said, “let’s go rescue Mikasa from some kids.”  
Eren chuckled and accepted Levi’s help in getting up. They dusted themselves off and headed towards a group of kids who were playing tug o war with Mikasa, arguing over who got to play with her next and who would be taking her on the spinning eggs ride. As they walked Levi tried to stop replaying what happened over and over in his head.


	8. Have you ever considered dating?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi just wanted to know if there was anything going on.

Saving Mikasa from the clutches of a bunch of little kids was pretty easy. All Levi had to do was give them his best “get out of my sight” face and the children scattered like mice. It was pretty amusing to be honest.  
Mikasa looked relieved to see Levi and Eren. The kids were too much for her to handle. It was interesting how, if need be, she could knock you on your ass in a heartbeat, but when it came to children she was utterly helpless. Levi supposed everyone had a weakness.  
“That’s what happens when you try to fuck with me.” He said with a smirk.  
Mikasa simply rolled her eyes and snorted as she adjusted the sleeves of her pink shirt. Now that they were back to acting like civil adults, there was a question Levi had to ask.  
“So why do you know all the words to that God forsaken song?”  
“That’s our karaoke song.” Eren answered with a laugh.  
“Eren and I always perform it together. It’s pretty much tradition anytime we karaoke.” Mikasa explained.  
It made sense. What didn’t make sense was why they’d pick such an awful song, but Levi decided he didn’t really want to know. Something told him it was probably Eren’s idea.  
‘Isn’t that a song couples sing?’ The voice in Levi’s head decided to question. Wasn’t it though? Levi looked between Eren and Mikasa. It didn’t seem like anything was going on between them. Mikasa took to readjusting her scarf and the action made Levi think even more. He remembered her saying that Eren gave it to her. In fact, it used to be his. Maybe Eren had a thing for Mikasa. Maybe that’s why he never picked up on anyone’s attempt at flirting with him, because he was too focused on Mikasa. Did Mikasa have feelings for Eren? She did talk about him a lot. Of course Levi asked about him a lot. Not to mention she treated Eren more like a kid brother or a child than a boyfriend. Also she apparently knew Levi had feelings for the brat and Mikasa didn’t seem like the type of person to mess with him like that. Sure she’d do things like stealing his fries or leaving a mess behind just to piss him off, but when it came down to it, she wouldn’t take things too far. She wouldn’t bring Levi out to a damn amusement park with Eren just so she could later tell him to back off.  
That didn’t answer his question about Eren having feelings for Mikasa though and to be honest the voice in his head was telling him that it didn’t matter what kind of person Mikasa was because the way she was cuddling with Eren’s old scarf just didn’t seem platonic. He couldn’t stop the words from leaving his mouth.  
“So have you two ever considered dating?”  
Two sets of wide eyes looked at him in shock. Levi would have found if funny if the question he just asked wasn’t weighing him down.  
“She’s like my sister!”  
“He’s like my brother!”  
They both shouted in unison. Levi wanted to believe them, but his brain was being stupid and needed more reassurance.  
“So you’ve never thought about getting together? Not even once?”  
Mikasa furrowed her brows and gave Levi a questioning look. Eren stared hard at Mikasa, like he was trying to decide something. Levi’s face remained neutral, but he was starting to panic a little. What if Eren really didn’t think about it until now? All because Levi suggested it. He hated to admit it, but he’d actually be heartbroken if the brat suddenly decided he wanted to be with Mikasa. As much as he’d hate it, he wouldn’t take it out on his cousin. He’d be happy for her. Really, he would. Eren was a catch and she deserved to be with someone like him. He just hoped things wouldn’t be awkward between them.  
“Yeah I can’t picture myself with Mikasa.”  
Levi heard Eren say those words, but it took a moment for them to really sink in.  
“Same. I can’t imagine dating you.”  
Mikasa said to Eren.  
He just shrugged and turned his attention to Levi.  
“Why,” he asked “did you want me to date your cousin or something?”  
Realization spread across Mikasa’s face.  
“No he doesn’t.” She answered on Levi’s behalf. Mischief sparked in her steely eyes.  
“He just wants to know because there’s someone else he wants you to date.”  
If looks could kill Mikasa would already be 6 feet in the ground. Rest In Peace you damn brat.  
Levi noticed how Eren was once again blushing and the image of him blushing beneath him briefly flashed through this mind.  
“You want to hook me up with someone?” He asked in embarrassed surprise.  
“Not exactly.” Levi ground out as he continued to glare daggers at Mikasa. He really didn’t want to make Eren any more uncomfortable than he already did.  
“Don’t worry about it Brat, it’s nothing.”  
Eren looked like he didn’t believe him one bit so Levi decided it was time for a subject change.  
“Hey Brat,” Levi pointed a finger in Eren’s face causing him to go cross eyed, “you seemed to know damn well that I hated that song.”  
Eren swatted Levi’s finger away and smiled.  
“Mikasa mentions it any time it comes on and your reaction kind of gave you away.” He said.  
Fair enough, but how dare Mikasa divulge such crucial information about him. He can’t have everyone knowing his weaknesses like that. Hopefully she hadn’t told him anything too personal, like his childhood tea cup trauma. He would like to be the one to tell Eren those kinds of things himself when they were close enough, if they ever got close.  
“Bumper cars.” Mikasa randomly stated.  
If Eren’s excitement was anything to go by, it meant that’s what they were doing next.


	9. Sorry Levi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things aren’t going too well for Levi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I put an OC in this chapter and wasn’t quite sure how to update the tags without effing everything up. Don’t worry though, the OC is not permanent.

It happened on their way to the bumper cars. Eren and Mikasa were chatting about their everyday lives and Levi quietly listened. Every now and then Eren would ask Levi a random question or something about his personal life and he’d answer to the best of his ability. Everything was going great until the universe decided to take a shit on Levi, the universe being a disgusting black crow with stupid aim. The little bastard landed one right on his left boot.  
All three of them stared at the mess for a good moment before Mikasa turned away, clearly laughing at Levi’s expense. Eren on the other hand had taken note of the pure rage and disgust on Levi’s face and stifled his laughter.  
“I can fix this!” He announced as he knelt down and began to rifle through his bag. He pulled out a pack of sanitizer wipes and flashed Levi a triumphant smile.  
“I have these remember?” He waved the packet around a little before he started to open it.  
It was kind of cute and fuck did it melt Levi’s heart to see that Eren was willing to clean the shit off his shoes for him, but he felt pretty bad making the kid do it. It felt like he was taking advantage of him or something, so he tried to step back and protest, but Eren had an iron grip on his ankle and determination in his eyes.  
“Eren you don’t need to clean it for me.”  
“No it’s ok, I don’t mind!”  
“Eren really, I can do it myself.”  
“I don’t mind!”  
It was a useless fight and so Levi gave in and watched as Eren went over the spot three times with three different wipes. How many of those things did he even pack?  
“See!” Eren exclaimed as he hopped back up.  
Levi looked down and was impressed that his boot was back to its original state, in fact it looked cleaner than his right boot which now had the day’s filth caked on it.  
“What do you think?” Eren asked with just a hint of hope in his voice.  
“Not bad.” Levi said giving him a small smile.  
Eren looked incredibly pleased with himself.  
“I’m just gonna throw these dirty wipes out and probably go wash my hands.” He informed them before he took off full speed towards the nearest trash can.  
“Eren please stop running!” Mikasa shouted after him.  
Levi had to admire his energy. So far it felt like they’d been running all day. Unfortunately though, his ability to pay attention wasn’t so great. Eren looked over his shoulder to shout at Mikasa and didn’t realize someone had walked into his path. He crashed into the guy and went flying back onto his ass.  
Both Levi and Mikasa rushed over to Eren, but the stranger he had run into was already moving to help him up. Said stranger was in the park uniform, a blue polo and khaki pants. He knelt down and offered Eren a hand.  
“Shit, I’m so sorry.” Eren shouted in embarrassment.  
“Damn, did it hurt?” The stranger asked him.  
“Huh? No, I’m ok.”  
“No I mean, when you fell from heaven.”  
Everything came to a screeching halt for Levi. Did his ears hear that right? Did this six foot something, muscular, red headed pretty boy just use a pick up line on HIS Eren?  
“Wow that was pretty cheesy huh?” The red head laughed as he asked. Eren didn’t seem to know how to respond. He was fiddling with the stings of his hoodie again and looking down at his feet, but Levi could see the blush forming on his face. Levi suddenly felt very uneasy and slightly angry.  
“Who are you?” Mikasa asked. It was clear that she didn’t like this guy at the moment. It was probably her motherly instincts kicking in.  
The boy didn’t even bother to look at Mikasa. He just kept staring at Eren like he was some kind of snack.  
“I’m Clayton, I’m actually a park employee. What’s your name?”  
Eren was still looking at his feet when he answered.  
“I’m Eren.”  
Mikasa looked pissed that this Clayton guy was basically ignoring her and for some reason Levi felt the need to make a big deal out of it. He needed to point out this guys flaws.  
“My cousin asked you a fucking question dipshit.”  
Eren looked at Levi with questioning eyes and a slight frown. Clayton gave him a glare before plastering a giant smile onto his face.  
“My bad, my name is Clayton.” He said to Mikasa this time.  
Mikasa didn’t look at all impressed and neither did Levi. Clayton turned his attention back to Eren.  
“Seems like I pissed off your boyfriend.”  
Eren’s face turned red again in an instant.  
“He’s not my boyfriend! He’s just a friend.” He answered a little too quickly for Levi’s liking.  
“Well in that case, I’m actually on break for an hour, why don’t you and I spend some time together? I’ll treat you.”  
“No.” Mikasa interrupted.  
“Excuse me?” Eren looked a tad bit annoyed having been answered for.  
“You’re with us today and you don’t even know this guy.”  
“So what, you’re just gonna speak for me now?”  
“Eren you’re being ridiculous and you’re coming with us.”  
Anger was starting to form on Eren’s face. It seemed Mikasa had ignited his temper. Levi didn’t really blame him, Mikasa could have let Eren answer for himself even if she didn’t like what he decided and Levi could see where this was headed. He could tell that Eren would only do the exact opposite of what she wanted just to spite her and he really didn’t want that. He put a hand on Mikasa’s arm, effectively gaining her attention.  
“Mikasa stop. Let him decide what he wants to do. He’s not a child.” Levi said. ‘Even if he does act like one sometimes.’ He thought to himself.  
Mikasa gave Levi a dirty look, but didn’t say anything. It was silent for a moment before Clayton decided to speak up.  
“So do I have a mini date or no?”  
All eyes were on Eren. Mikasa bit her lip to prevent herself from answering for him again.  
“Yeah, I’ll spend your break with you.” He answered.  
Levi’s heart sank and his brain began screaming profanities. He didn’t even know what was happening anymore. Where the hell did this guy come from and why, of all people, did Eren have to run into him? He could hear Mikasa saying something to Eren, but he was too caught up in his thoughts to really make out what was being said. It wasn’t like Eren even liked the guy right? He was just doing it to get at Mikasa. Why did she have to provoke him like that? It didn’t matter though because Eren didn’t really like the guy...right? But what if he started to? Thinking about it, he had indeed accepted a date from a guy. So Eren was into guys and could possibly be falling for this jackass within the next hour. Levi so badly wanted to hit something. This just wasn’t fair. He watched as Eren and Clayton walked off towards a food establishment.  
“I’m sorry.” He heard Mikasa say to him. He didn’t answer. He just continued to watch Eren until he disappeared from sight.  
“I really didn’t mean for that to happen. It’ll be fine, Eren’s not interested anyway.” Mikasa stated.  
Levi figured being angry with her wasn’t going to change the situation, but no one said he couldn’t be irrationally angry with Clayton and holy hell did he want to break that red headed brat’s legs.  
“It’s ok.” Levi answered in his usual tone.  
“He said he’d meet us back here in an hour,” Mikasa informed him, “so I guess we should continue on by ourselves.”  
“Yeah. He’s not interested anyway right?”  
“No. I can tell.”  
“What if he decides he is?”  
“Hmm, I don’t think so.”  
Levi crinkled his nose in disgust.  
“I hate that guy. I hope Eren doesn’t fall for his act because clearly it’s an act. Who the hell uses pickup lines like that anymore? I bet he’s all brawn and no brain and what is he a yeti? Why the hell is he so tall?”  
By the end of Levi’s little rant Mikasa was smiling like an idiot.  
“I never thought I’d see the day that you were jealous of anyone.” She teased.  
“I’m not jealous of that dipshit.” Levi defended himself. There was no way he was going to admit out loud that he kind of was jealous and he would deny it for the rest of his life. He punched Mikasa in the arm and began walking back in the direction of the bumper cars. He could stand to blow off some steam. Mikasa followed after him and once she was close enough, she punched him right back. Levi didn’t expect anything less of her. The two walked towards their destination in a classic Ackerman silence.


	10. Quality Cousin Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren’s still on his date. Levi and Mikasa talk.

Bumper cars turned out to be very therapeutic for Levi. He may have been a little too jealous and he may have been borderline possessive, but every person he slammed his little red car into was Clayton.  
The girl with the nose ring?  
Clayton.  
The kid with the black hoodie?  
Clayton.  
The mom laughing at her son?  
Clayton.  
Hell, even Mikasa was Clayton in his eyes. Every single one of them were on his hit list. So he floored the pedal of his red car and took it as fast as it could go, which wasn’t very fast, but still good enough. BAM. He rammed into an unsuspecting driver and sent them flying forward and away from the friend they came with. Levi whirled the steering wheel around with expert like skill and did a U turn. He smashed into two cars that appeared to be at a head and sent them flying apart. Backing up he crashed his bumper into the kid behind him and then continued forward.  
It didn’t take long for Levi to realize that people were desperately trying to get out of his way. Maybe it was the fact that he looked like he was out for blood? He couldn’t tell you exactly what his face looked like in that moment, but he imagined it would be described as scary. He didn’t care though. He wasn’t in the best mood so why should he act like it? He tried to brush it off, but the more he thought about Eren spending time with that pick up line using Sasquatch, the more irritated he got.  
A jolt from behind caught him off guard. He whipped his head around to see who had the balls to go after him. He was the hunter, not the hunted. He was met with the challenging gaze of Mikasa. Of course she’d be the one to start something with him. She put her blue car in reverse and then surged forward once more to crash into Levi again.  
Levi swung his car around to come at her from the side. He just missed her as she raced to get out of his way, but he was able to get her from behind. He continued to tail her until he moved up enough to crash the sides of their cars together. From there it was a struggle to see who could get away from the other until Levi managed to pull away and put some distance between them. Then he turned his car to face her head on. Mikasa followed his lead and turned to face him too. They glared at each other for a brief moment before they began racing towards each other. Just as their bumpers were about to hit the cars came to a sudden halt. Time was up. The ride was done. Both Ackermans threw their arms up and yelled “Oh come on” in annoyance. They exited their vehicles somewhat reluctantly and headed for the exit.  
“I had you, you know.” Mikasa informed Levi.  
He scoffed in return. Clearly it was the other way around.  
The ride had been a welcome outlet to his pent up feelings and now that it was over he felt that sinking in his stomach coming back. It quickly replaced his irritation with worry. This he could not deal with. Levi was fine dealing with frustration and anger and things of that nature, but he absolutely hated feeling worried and anxious. He’d give anything to get rid of the gross feeling in his gut and the voices in his head. If only Eren had never bumped into Clayton to begin with. A heavy sigh escaped him as he and Mikasa stood around near the bumper cars. They were supposed to meet Eren in the area and didn’t want to go too far.  
“What are you thinking?” Mikasa asked.  
“What else would I be thinking about right now?” Levi retorted.  
Even though he wasn’t going to be mad with Mikasa, he couldn’t stop the words from sounding harsh. It was his nerves messing with him.  
Mikasa seemed to shrink into herself. Her head hung low. Levi knew she was blaming herself for Eren’s decision. It wasn’t completely her fault. To be fair, Eren shouldn’t have let his temper drive him. Levi found that quality to be a double edged sword. He’d be sure to let Eren know he should think things through more.  
“Don’t look so deflated. It doesn’t suit you.” Levi said. He made sure his tone was lighter. “How long has it been anyway?” He asked.  
“It’s been 15 minutes.”  
WHAT?! So there were still 45 minutes left in Eren’s date?!  
“Are you kidding me?” He mumbled.  
“You’re really upset by this aren’t you?” Mikasa asked.  
“I just don’t want him to end up with the wrong guy is all.”  
“The wrong guy being someone other than you?”  
Levi looked away from Mikasa. True, now that he’d actually met him he didn’t want Eren going out with someone else. It didn’t feel fair to him. He’d spent so long crushing on the kid and wanted more than that, but if Eren wanted to be with someone else...well he supposed he’d have to get used to it.  
“The wrong guy in general,” He stated flatly, “if he wants to date someone then I just hope they treat him like he deserves. He’s more than just a pretty face, he’s amazing inside and out and I’ll be happy for him if he finds someone who sees that.”  
“That’s why I approve of you.”  
Levi looked back at Mikasa to see her smiling warmly at him. He wondered if he heard her right.  
“Huh?”  
“Levi, why do you think I brought him here today?” She asked him.  
When he thought about it, he didn’t really know. Earlier he honestly thought she was doing it to make him jealous and he was dead wrong about that.  
“To torture me?” He questioned.  
“Well yes, but that’s only part of it. I know you act like you’re this tough as nails guys with an icicle for a heart, but you’re actually one of the most caring people I know. Eren has expressed his loneliness to me before and I just want him to be happy, but he needs the right person. I really feel like it’s you. That’s why I planned today.”  
Levi didn’t know how to respond to that. He knew how protective Mikasa was of Eren so for her to go so far as to try to get them together, it blew Levi’s mind a little. They had always been close, but he never knew how highly she thought of him. A small smile graced his features.  
“Here I thought you wanted to spend time with me.” He joked.  
Mikasa chuckled at that.  
“Who says I can’t spend time with you and help your pathetic love life at the same time?” She replied.  
It had now been 25 minutes since the beginning of Eren’s date and Levi and Mikasa were seated on a bench near the bumper cars. They were passing time with people watching and idle chitchat. They strongly considered getting back on the bumper cars, but decided to wait for Eren. It would be more fun if he was caught in the middle of their competition. There was only 35 minutes left in Eren’s date and Levi was silently counting down.  
“Why don’t you just tell him?” Mikasa decided to ask.  
Levi knew immediately what she meant. She wanted to know why he didn’t just tell Eren he had feelings for him.  
“It’s not like we’re in middle school and people will make fun of you for having a crush.” She continued.  
“Because,” Levi answered, “I don’t want to make him uncomfortable or make him feel pressured to feel the same.”  
Mikasa hummed in response.  
“Maybe I’ll tell Eren at the end of the day...” He thought out loud. Assuming Eren didn’t have a new boyfriend by the end of the day.  
“Tell me what?”  
Levi and Mikasa turned their heads in shock. None other than Eren himself was standing behind their bench, a whole 34 minutes before he was supposed to be back. Levi quickly took note of that fact.  
Curiosity was written all over Eren’s face. He tilted his head and reiterated his question.  
“What did you want to tell me?”


	11. Details

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren talks about his date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I posted this chapter already and took it down after an hour because it was TRASH. After a lot of rewriting it’s hopefully less trash now. I can’t believe I even posted the first version lol I’m embarrassed. Also, I updated tags and added the “sexual harassment” tag just to be 100% sure no one was triggered or uncomfortable without warning. I promise it’s not that bad though and won’t be happening again. :)

“What did you want to tell me?”  
Eren’s question hung in the air as Levi contemplated his answer.  
‘Oh you know, just that I might be in love with you.’  
Nope. He wasn’t going to say that out loud and send Eren running away from him. Especially not when he himself was still coming to terms with the L word. For years it had been just a crush, why was it changing so fast? Levi stared into Eren’s beautiful gold and green eyes and almost forgot that he’d been asked a question. Damn those eyes. If he had a penny for every time they had distracted or hypnotized him today alone, he’d be a rich man. He’d probably even have enough to get his old band back together and book a studio session, but that was a thought and a story for another time.  
Eren had leaned in closer to Levi and still held the same curious expression on his face. It was adorable to say the least.  
“It’s a surprise.”  
Those were the words that left Levi’s mouth. That was the best he could come up with. He was face palming himself so hard on the inside. When he looked over at Mikasa she simply mouthed the word “smooth” to him. He’d argue that he actually was smooth. This was just one of the rare moments when he wasn’t.  
Eren laughed as he made his way to the front of the bench and squeezed himself between Levi and Mikasa. Neither one of them seemed to mind.  
“So it’s a surprise huh?” Eren asked, a lilt in his voice.  
Levi simply nodded his head. Part of him hoped that Eren would forget about it and the other part hoped he would remember. It would be nice to come clean about his feelings. The look of pure giddiness on Eren’s face told him that he probably wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon and that made Levi just the slightest bit nervous.  
Mikasa let out a heavy sigh as she turned to face Eren.  
“I’m sorry I tried to make that decision for you.” She said with sincerity in her voice.  
Of course they all knew what decision she was talking about. The mention of it had Eren rubbing at the back of his neck. His giddiness was gone and replaced with shame.  
“I’m sorry I ditched you guys like that. It was stupid of me.” He said.  
They looked at each other for a moment before embracing in a tight hug. Levi figured that both apologies had just been accepted. That was a good thing because he did not want to be caught in the middle of them for the remainder of the day.  
Levi gently smacked Eren upside the head, causing him to flinch and over dramatically rub at the spot. His lips formed a pout.  
“What did you do that for?” He whined.  
“I was smacking some sense into you,” Levi answered, “you shouldn’t make rash decisions. It’s good to not want someone deciding everything for you, but you need to think more about what you decide for yourself.”  
“Mm’k.” Eren mumbled in reply.  
Levi leaned across him and pointed at Mikasa.  
“And you need to stop babying him so much. He’s a big boy I’m sure he can think for himself and if he makes mistakes he can always learn from them.” He lectured her.  
She only gave him a half shrug in response and looked away. It meant she knew he was right. With that out of the way he could finally ask the question that had been eating away at him.  
“So how did your date go?” The word date had him cringing inwardly.  
“Oh, it was kind of a train wreck.” Eren chuckled lightly.  
A train wreck. Halle-fucking-lujah. Levi felt relief seep through his body as the knowledge that Eren was still single danced around in his brain. All he needed to know now was why the date went so horribly. He cleared his throat and asked.  
“What happened?”  
“Do you want the whole story or just the part where it went bad?”  
Eren asked him in return.  
Levi had to think about that. Did he really want to hear about Eren on a date with another guy or did he just want to skip to the end? He’d take the end part please.  
“We want to know everything.” Mikasa stated before Levi could even open his mouth.  
“Then I’ll start from the beginning.” Eren declared.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“So What brings you to the park today?” Clayton asked as he and Eren walked in the direction of an ice cream parlor.  
“My best friend invited me. Her cousin is back in town and she wanted to hang out.” Eren said.  
“Those were the people you were with right?”  
“Yeah those were them.”  
“No offense, but the guy is a jack ass and the girl is a total bitch.”  
Eren cocked his head and gave Clayton a look of disbelief. How was he not supposed to take offense to that? The Ackermans may be intense, but they were some of the best people he knew. Not that he could say he knew Levi that long.  
“Hey I did say no offense.” Clayton defended.  
“Yeah. Ok.” Eren answered.  
There was a bit of an awkward silence until they walked into the parlor. It wasn’t very busy perhaps because the weather outside was chilly.  
“The park has the best ice cream floats around. I promise.” Clayton said.  
He grabbed Eren by the hand and walked him over to the counter where a girl with blue hair was working the register. Eren looked down at their hands. Even as Clayton placed their order, he continued to hold onto Eren. It felt very uncomfortable to him. When he thought about it, the only person who’s hand he held was Levi’s earlier in the day. He didn’t know why he did it. Levi felt safe and warm. His touch was comforting. This felt pushy and demanding. Clayton’s hold was like ice to him.  
Eren hadn’t been paying attention to what was happening at the register but, he knew they’d been standing there for a while now. He snapped his head back up and realized that the blue haired girl and Clayton were having a conversation. They weren’t being loud, but Eren could tell it was heated.  
“You’re just looking for a toy.” The girl said with venom in her voice.  
Eren had no idea what they had been talking about and was taken aback when she suddenly turned to address him. She opened her mouth to speak only to be cut off by Clayton.  
“Can we just get our order now? We’ve only got an hour.”  
The girl made a face at Eren that he couldn’t quite read and quickly disappeared to get their floats. Clayton attempted to pull him to a table except Eren really wanted his hand back. He tugged out of the red headed boy’s grip and put a small smile on his face. He hoped it would ease the growing tension in the atmosphere, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized he didn’t really want to be on a date with the guy. It made things feel even more uncomfortable.  
The girl came back and placed their floats on the table they had occupied. She didn’t bother to say anything to them and went back to her register. Eren watched her as she took the order of a customer who had just walked in.  
“Pay no attention to her. She’s a jealous ex.” Clayton said.  
“Ohh.” Eren replied.  
“So, you doing anything tonight?”  
“I don’t think so. Why?”  
Eren had to wait a moment for Clayton to take a drink of his float before he could answer.  
“A buddy of mine is throwing a party and I’d really like to show you off.”  
Eren wasn’t sure of what he’d just heard. Show him off? Did Clayton mean as a boyfriend, we’re they together now? Eren didn’t know exactly how first dates worked and if by accepting one you were automatically a couple. The only person he’d ever gone out with was Annie. Once. For twenty minutes and he’d only taken her to that stupid dance because of Jean. Eren was pretty damn sure he and Annie had never been together.  
Not knowing how to respond, he took a sip of his float. He wasn’t expecting such a magical mix of root bear and the worlds best vanilla to grace his tongue. His eyes slipped shit and he let out a small hum of approval.  
“Good huh?” Clayton more stated than asked.  
“You weren’t kidding about these being the best.”  
“Nope. I’m kind of an ice cream float expert. I’d write a whole book on them if I could.”  
Eren laughed a little at that. The atmosphere was starting to feel a little lighter than after they’d interacted with the blue haired girl. Soon the two were talking about their favorite flavors of ice cream and Eren was starting to think that maybe this date wasn’t such a bad thing.  
As Clayton talked about a childhood birthday featuring an ice cream cake, Eren took a moment to really study his features. Red hair, pale skin, light freckles, thin nose, square shaped face, and obvious muscles under his shirt. He wasn’t ugly, but Eren couldn’t say he was truly attracted to him. Maybe if his hair was darker or his jawline more defined? Maybe if his eyes were a little more narrowed? Eren wasn’t too sure why he was thinking of those features, but he was. A face began to form in Eren’s mind. It was a little fuzzy, but it was awfully familiar and it made his heart race a little.  
“So about that party tonight...” Clayton interrupted his thoughts.  
Suddenly he was back to feeling awkward. Was he obligated to say yes? Wait, were they an item after all?  
“Umm... I don’t know about that.” Eren answered truthfully.  
“It’ll be fun. I’ll introduce you to the guys.”  
Eren stared at his float and took another sip of heaven. He knew in his gut that he didn’t want to go, but he didn’t want to upset the boy in front of him. After a moment of thinking it over he decided to just rip off the bandage and say no.  
“No, I’m probably going to be really tired tonight. I’m thinking I’m just going to stay home...sorry.”  
There. He’d said it.  
“Come on, it’ll be worth it. I can make it a night you won’t forget.” Clayton said in a low tone. He gave Eren a wink and leaned back in his seat to rake his eyes over him.  
Eren’s face turned bright red. He felt like he was being mentally undressed. Clayton stood up from his seat across Eren and sat back down in the chair next to him. Too close for comfort.  
“Promise you won’t regret it.” He said as he leaned in closer to Eren’s face.  
“No. I’m good.” Eren said.  
“You’re good? Babe, you don’t know what you’re missing out on. I can make you feel great.”  
“No.”  
Eren didn’t know how many times he was going to have to say no, but Clayton just wasn’t getting the picture. It was getting on his nerves and making him nervous at the same time. He really didn’t like it.  
“How about I tell you what I’d do to you if you come with me tonight?” Clayton said as he leaned into Eren and began whispering in his ear.  
Eren’s face was practically on fire. No one had ever said things like that to him before. He’d never even had sex before! He sure as hell wasn’t about to do it with the creep whispering dirty things in his ear when he’d said no already. Suddenly he felt a hand on his thigh and it was moving up too far.  
Eren shoved at the boy with everything he had and sent him falling out of his seat and onto the ground. Clayton landed on his back with a painful thud and looked as if he’d had the wind knocked out of him. Eren picked up the remainder of his float and threw it on the red head on the ground.  
“I said NO you pig!” He shouted in rage.  
Eren heard the girl behind the register laughing and what sounded like “that’s what you get”! He stormed out of the ice cream shop and continued in the direction of the bumper cars where he knew his friends would be. He took a deep breath and decided to sit down for a bit by himself. He was too angry and embarrassed. He needed a moment to calm down before he could get back to his friends.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“So that’s basically it.” Eren said as he finished his story.  
Levi was pissed. He knew the guy was no good for Eren. He also felt a sort of pride at the fact that Eren had put Clayton in his place. He could feel Mikasa’s rage and concern oozing out of her.  
“I just can’t seem to make a date last more than a few minutes. I must be cursed.” Eren joked.  
Mikasa let out a small laugh and put a hand on Eren’s shoulder.  
“You’re not cursed Eren. You’re just picking the wrong people.” She said.  
Eren flashed them both a huge smile before changing the subject all together.  
“I hope you guys don’t mind going on the bumper cars again. I really want to ride them.”  
“We were waiting for you so we could get on back on. Levi and I have some unfinished business to take care of.” Mikasa told him.  
“Oh yeah? Then let’s go.”  
Eren offered up his arm and Mikasa linked them together. They both got up and started walking off. Levi watched Eren go. He wanted nothing more than to tell him that if he gave him a chance he could be the right guy.  
“Levi are you coming?” Eren yelled from a distance.  
He and Mikasa has stopped walking and turned back to Levi. They were waiting for him to catch up so they could all get back to their day together. As Levi got up to join them he decided that no matter how nervous he got, he would tell Eren exactly how he felt at the end of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *whispers* I’m still not completely happy with this chapter.


	12. Peace and Personal information

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren’s got some questions.

There was a fire in Eren’s eyes. Green and gold burned bright and determined. His brows furrowed and an animalistic growl left his mouth. Levi felt himself being slammed on his side and sent crashing into the nearest wall. He whipped his head around to face Eren, payback was promised in his light blue eyes though his face remained neutral.  
Eren spun around in an instant and took off in the opposite direction. He was now on the defensive, prey trying to escape. Levi swiftly followed in pursuit. He was ready to crash into Eren from behind when a third person entered the fray. Once again he was slammed into and knocked off course. Mikasa sent him a challenging glare as Eren turned around with a smug look on his face. Mikasa was protecting him. Levi would have to go through her to get to Eren. So be it.  
Mikasa came for Levi head on only for him to dodge her at the last minute. He whirled himself around to crash into her side. She seemed to lose control for a moment before she managed to right herself and attempt to hit Levi once again. If he was being honest, Levi was extremely disappointed that she would use the same attack as before. It was a rookie mistake. It only served to give him the upper hand because it was so predictable and easily avoidable.  
The sound of Eren’s war cry notified him that he was being attacked from behind. Another rookie mistake. If you’re going to sneak up on your opponent do it silently. Did these brats know nothing? Levi stayed rooted in place knowing exactly what plan of action he was going to take. He kept his eyes on Mikasa and listened for Eren who was rapidly approaching him. He waited until he knew he was cutting it close before he expertly swerved out of the way. There was a crashing sound, some angry yelling, and then it was over. All the bumper cars came to a stop where they were. Levi hopped out of his car and walked over to Eren and Mikasa. They had crashed into each other just like Levi planned.  
“Damn brats gang up on me and you still can’t win.” He casually gloated.  
Eren crossed his arms over his chest and huffed in annoyance.  
“Whatever. There’s no winning in bumper cars anyway.” He stated.  
Mikasa climbed out of her car and extended her hand to Levi.  
“I admit defeat. You were a worthy opponent.” She said.  
“Mikasa! Don’t admit defeat! We could’ve won if we had more time!” Eren loudly protested.  
“Oh? I thought you said there was no winning in bumper cars?” Levi threw Eren’s words right back at him with a smirk on his face.  
Eren fumbled with his words for a second before he gave up and slumped further into his seat. Levi poked him in the cheek and then offered him his hand.  
“Come on brat. We can always go again if you want.” He said.  
“No thanks. I think you gave me whiplash.” Eren said jokingly.  
He grabbed onto Levi’s hand and hefted himself out of his bumper car. Instead of letting go Levi lead them off and away from the ride area with Mikasa following behind them. He wasn’t doing it to assert his dominance over Eren or anything, he just felt like holding his hand and if Eren’s smile was anything to go by then he knew he wasn’t making him uncomfortable. They walked to a nearby tree and sat in the grass beneath it.  
Eren stretched his arms above his head and let out a yawn. Before he could register what was happening Eren was laying down in the grass with his head in Levi’s lap.  
“I’m getting tired.” Eren mumbled as he closed his eyes.  
Levi began stroking Eren’s messy brown hair and stared down at him with affection in his eyes. Unsurprisingly Eren’s locks were as soft as they looked.  
“It’s the afternoon how can you be tired?” Levi asked.  
“I didn’t get much sleep last night. I uhh was up kind of late.” He admitted.  
“You were playing video games all night weren’t you?” Mikasa asked from beside Levi.  
“No I wasn’t.” Eren said as he sat up and turned a little so he could face Mikasa.  
“Then what were you doing?”  
“Watching funny pet videos.”  
Mikasa gave him an unimpressed look. Eren shrugged it off and lowered himself back onto Levi’s lap. He rolled over onto his side and curled up a bit. Levi switched from stroking his hair to soothingly running his fingers up and down Eren’s arm.  
“I didn’t realize it was nap time.” He said.  
“Thirty minutes.” Eren mumbled in reply.  
Levi rolled his eyes even though Eren couldn’t see him do so. He was such a lovable brat. Levi leaned back on the trunk of the tree and Mikasa did the same. Despite being in such a public setting with people running around them screaming like maniacs, he found the moment to be very peaceful. Or at least it was until Mikasa’s phone started blaring the default ringtone.  
She dug the pink phone out of her bag and looked at the caller ID. Levi leaned over and glanced at the screen. It seemed Armin was the one responsible for ruining the moment.  
“Hello.” Mikasa answered.  
“Who is it?” Eren asked from his spot on Levi’s lap.  
“It’s Armin.” She replied.  
“Yeah Eren wanted to know...ok I’ll tell him. Armin says hi.” Mikasa said.  
“Hi Armin!” Eren yelled.  
All three of them could hear Armin yelling hi back and then his voice disappeared as he and Mikasa went back to conversing with each other.  
“Huh? Oh I think it’s working.” Mikasa said as she studied Levi and Eren.  
Levi lifted a brow at that. What exactly was working? He had a feeling he knew what she was talking about when she looked him dead in the eye and said “you should see them right now. It’s actually pretty cute.”  
Levi narrowed his eyes as Mikasa excused herself and walked out of earshot. She had already admitted to planning today, but he had a feeling she got some help from her little blonde friend. He probably told her it was a good idea and to go for it. Meddling kids.  
“I wonder what they’re talking about.” Eren said sleepily.  
“Who knows?” Levi lied.  
Eren rolled over onto his back again and opened his eyes.  
“Can I ask you something?”  
Levi nodded his head yes, curious about what Eren wanted to know.  
“Why did you go all the way to Paris for college? Mikasa always talked about you a lot and sometimes she seemed really sad that you were gone.” Eren asked.  
Levi tilted his head and closed his eyes. A long sign escaped his lips.  
“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to ask something so personal!” Eren quickly apologized as he shot up from Levi’s lap.  
“It’s ok if you don’t answer! I was just curious why someone would leave their family like that. I mean you never even came to visit her. Not that I’m judging you or calling you a bad person! I actually kind of looked up to you even though I didn’t really know you. She told me all the cool things you did like being in a band your freshman year, juggling 3 part time jobs and still being valedictorian, and how you’d stand up for her in a heart beat and...” Eren rambled on until Levi physically put his hand over his mouth.  
Eren’s eyes were wide and he looked like he was about to shit himself.  
“It was because of my mom.” Levi said.  
Regret flooded Eren’s mismatched eyes and he slowly removed Levi’s hand from his mouth.  
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” He said. His voice was just above a whisper and his head hung low.  
Levi gently gripped Eren’s chin and tilted his head up to look at him.  
“It’s ok. I don’t mind telling you about it.” He said as he let go of Eren’s chin.  
“Our lineage is French,” Levi began, “my mom, Kuchel, told me once when I was a kid that she regretted not teaching me more about my heritage. She said that when I was older she’d take me to France so I could experience it for myself. She decided it would be the perfect graduation gift. A vacation and a learning experience all in one. I was so young when she brought it up that I almost forgot about it, until I was 16 and she passed away from breast cancer. It had already spread into her lungs by the time she was diagnosed. They couldn’t help her, I couldn’t help her. She got worse as the days went by and one night I overheard her and my Uncle Kenny planning for the worst. All I could do was watch as she withered away...”  
Levi paused in his story. He hadn’t talked about his mother’s death in depth before. His mouth felt dry and his throat was closing up. His chest felt heavy and he was afraid he’d start crying in the middle of the amusement park, but then Eren’s hand was in his, squeezing ever so slightly. It was comforting and it gave him the strength to get through it. He cleared his throat and picked up where he left off.  
“Her final night on earth I promised her that I’d go to France just like she planned. After that I worked my ass off in school. I took French and picked up a job at a burger stand, an athletic store, and a very flexible job with Kenny at his automotive work shop. All I had to do was answer the phone the two days I worked there and the rest of the time I could study. That’s kind of how my band fell apart, but I digress. When I did graduate I felt like I had to stay in France. I felt like it would get me close to my mother again so instead of just visiting I decided I would attend college there. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay in the country that my mom came from, but I realized, like you said, that I just left the rest of my family behind. I felt awful for abandoning them and...there was someone I couldn’t stop thinking about. I was torn between staying and leaving so I compromised with myself. I’d stay until I graduated and then I’d come home. Now here I am.”  
Silence descended upon them as Levi’s story finished. He wasn’t ready for the bone crushing hug that Eren wrapped him in. The brunette beauty smelt woodsy and was warm and inviting. He didn’t know what to say so he just hugged back. When Eren let go he scooted closer to Levi and rested his head against his shoulder.  
“Thank you for sharing that with me. I know it’s not easy to talk about that sort of thing,” Eren said, “I have one more question though.”  
“What is it?” Levi asked.  
“I get that your family was a huge factor in you coming back, but who is the person you couldn’t stop thinking about?”  
Levi had to think about his answer. He’d been questioning himself all day, he’d been metaphorically running scared, he’d basically been acting like a teenager and denying his feelings, but in this moment everything just clicked into place. He couldn’t fight it anymore and the words that came out of his mouth felt more right than he ever imagined they would.  
“It’s someone I love.”  
“You love someone?” Eren asked quietly.  
“I thought you said you had one question?” Levi teased.  
There was a playful slap on his thigh as Eren lifted his head off his shoulder.  
“I’m serious. I want to know.” He said.  
Levi nodded his head.  
“It took me a while to admit it to myself, but after years of it being a crush it kind of evolved without my knowing.”  
“Who are they? Do they know how you feel? I’ve been clinging to you almost all day! Should I not be doing that? I’m sorry I don’t know why I have been, but I’ll stop if you want me to!” Eren practically shouted.  
“No they don’t know yet and no you don’t have to stop clinging to me. I don’t mind it.” Levi answered.  
Eren looked at him in disbelief for a bit.  
“Are you sure? Why would you be ok with me clinging to you?” He asked.  
“I just am.” Levi assured.  
Eren stared at him a bit more before a blinding smile broke out on his face. He dropped his head back onto Levi’s lap and curled up again.  
“Good because you’re really cozy and I wasn’t kidding about that nap.” He said.  
“Of course you weren’t.” Levi commented.  
Levi noticed Mikasa making her way back over to them. She sat down and instead of leaning against the tree she leaned her head against Levi’s shoulder. It was something she hadn’t done since they were kids. They’d always snuggle up to each other like that and take naps in front of the tv.  
“Am I a human pillow now?” Levi questioned with false irritation in his voice.  
“I told you you’re cozy.” Eren returned.  
Mikasa chuckled slightly and adjusted her head on Levi’s shoulder. She fiddled with her scarf a bit and then finally got comfortable. The feeling of peace returned and Levi felt even lighter now that he’d shared his story and admitted his feelings out loud. He’d gladly take these thirty minutes of peace before they got back to the craziness of the park.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve read so much fanfiction in my life that I feel like I’m subconsciously ripping off Levi’s story from someone. I’m so paranoid about copying people. I’m really sorry if I have.


	13. Ghost Busters!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spooky stuff and a scared Eren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t edit and I think the ending was rushed. :/

“Eren.”  
Levi called out, but Eren didn’t move.   
“Eren.”   
He tried again a little louder. Still nothing.  
“EREN.”  
Louder this time. He grabbed Eren’s shoulder and jostled him slightly. That earned him a loud grunt and a slap to his hand. Now Levi was getting somewhere.  
Thirty minutes had passed a little over 45 minutes ago and Levi was having trouble waking Eren up. Mikasa warned him that he liked his sleep, but he didn’t think it would be a problem. Who the hell takes a deep sleep nap in the middle of an amusement park anyway? Eren. That’s who. It was both adorable and annoying at the same time. Levi’s legs had gone numb and he really needed to stretch, but he was currently still be used as a pillow.  
“Brat, get your ass up.” He demanded.  
More incoherent mumbles came from Eren. Mikasa crouched in front of him and tugged harshly on his ear.  
“Eren, get up.” She said in what could only be described as her mom voice.   
Eren immediately got up and cupped his ear. He looked angry that he’d been disturbed from his slumber. Levi bet that under any other circumstance, the face Eren was making would strike fear deep into the core of whoever was on the receiving end. However, at the moment it did not have the intended affect. Eren’s hair stood up on the side he’d been sleeping on, the skull on his cheek was slightly smeared, and he was rapidly trying to blink the sleep from his eyes. Cute was the proper word.  
Levi reached forward and attempted to tame Eren’s bed head, but was met with an unusual reaction. Instead of welcoming Levi’s touch, Eren jerked away and even refused to look at him.   
“I-I can fix it myself!” He rushed out at an abnormally loud volume.  
It didn’t make much sense for the same kid who had just slept on him to suddenly not want to be touched by him. In fact, it kind of stung. Levi didn’t know what he did to warrant that reaction. He thought it over in his mind, but couldn’t come up with anything that may have upset Eren.  
“Why are you hiding your face?” Mikasa asked as she continued to crouch in front of Eren.  
“It’s nothing!” Eren yelled defensively.  
That earned a raised eyebrow from her. It seems she didn’t quite believe him. She reached for his ear again and grabbed it.  
“Your ears are red.” She stated.  
“Leave my ears alone!” Eren yelled as he slapped both hands protectively over the sides of his head.  
“Is that supposed to mean something?” Levi asked.  
He didn’t know what the color of Eren’s poor abused ears had to do with anything.   
“It means he’s lying.” She answered.  
So Eren was lying and something was bothering him. Levi was beginning to feel guilty even though he didn’t know what he did. He figured there was no harm in asking.  
“Did I upset you?”   
Eren removed his hands and began shaking his head.  
“No of course not! It’s really nothing. Can we just forget about it?” He asked.  
There was a pleading look in his eyes.  
“Sure.” Levi said.  
Eren breathed a sigh of relief. He stood up and Mikasa did the same. Levi attempted to stand up, but his legs were still asleep. He nearly fell back onto his butt and had to use the tree for support.  
“Sorry I killed your legs.” Eren apologized.  
“It’s fine Brat.” Levi said.  
After a minute or so he finally felt like he could move again. By then Mikasa had already decided what they were going to do next. The park had a year round haunted house that was recently added. Mikasa wanted to give it a shot and Levi didn’t see why not. Haunted houses didn’t really scare him. He knew none of it was real and if anyone tried touching him, they’d wish they hadn’t. Eren on the other hand wasn’t too keen on the idea.   
“It’s not even Halloween time!” He argued.  
“It doesn’t have to be.” Mikasa told him.  
“But wouldn’t it be more fun if it was?”  
“I don’t think it would make a difference.”  
“Can’t we try something else?”  
Levi just watched the two of them go back and forth. Eren seemed adamant about changing Mikasa’s mind, but she wouldn’t budge. Levi was willing to bet his entire life savings that the reason Eren wanted to do something else so badly was because he was afraid of haunted houses.  
“There’s no reason to be scared Eren.” Mikasa stated.  
“I-I’m not! I can handle a few people in costumes!” Eren defended.  
It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself instead of Mikasa. Levi chucked and leaned back against the tree. Crossing his arms over his chest, he recalled an email Mikasa had sent him some time ago. It was around Halloween actually. She had gone with a group of friends to the theater to see some new horror film. Jean talked the whole time, Sasha ate all the popcorn, Connie tried to hide the rest of the snacks from Sasha, Armin made logical comments, and Eren hid behind Mikasa the whole time. Levi knew he was smart to bet his life savings on Eren being scared.  
“You can wait outside Eren. I’ll go in with Mikasa.” Levi suggested.  
“No! We’ll go in together. I’m not scared of some people in costumes.” Eren restated.  
“That settles it then. We’re all going into the haunted house.” Mikasa confirmed.  
So the trio made their way to the haunted house. Mikasa and Levi walked side by side and Eren trailed behind them. Levi could tell that Eren didn’t really want to participate and was just trying to prove a point. He just hoped for Eren’s sake that the house sucked and it was nothing but lame ass costumes and stupid sound affects.  
The line for the attraction was fairly long. It seemed a lot of people were in the mood to have the shit scared out of them. The house looked like a mini mansion. It was classic Victorian architecture. It was painted grey with light blue roofing. The windows on the second floor were boarded up and the classic “keep out” was written across them. There was a gate at the entrance that had the words “Marley Mansion” in big gold letters.   
They were letting in groups of eight. People were counting heads and switching spots in line, not wanting to be separated from their friends. Levi did a quick count of his own and noted that he and his crew would end up going in together. He noticed Mikasa doing the same. They gave each other a brief nod to confirm that they were good where they were standing. Levi looked back at Eren and felt his insides melt.   
He was standing with his eyes closed and hugging his back pack to his chest. He was shaking slightly and taking deep breathes. It worried Levi how frightened Eren was. He reached out and gently squeezed Eren’s arm.  
“Hey, calm down. You don’t have to do this you know.” He said.  
Eren flinched and his eyes flew open.   
“I can do it.” Eren stated.  
That same determination from earlier flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly drowned out by his fear. Mikasa had turned to face Eren too and it was clear she felt guilty for forcing the attraction on him.   
“You don’t have to prove anything Eren. We can go if you want.” She said in a small voice.   
Eren just shook his head. He hugged his back pack once more before placing it back behind him.  
The line continued to move up and pretty soon it was their turn. They went in with a couple and three tween boys who thought they knew everything about everything.   
The rules were simple. The second story turned out to be just for show. All they had to do was search the available rooms for one of the two exits. They were told that none of the employees working the attraction were allowed to touch anyone and asked if they would refrain from touching the workers as well. Easy.   
They entered into a dimly lit living area with tattered furniture. There were old portraits on the wall and Levi swore one of them moved. There was a howling sound coming from the darkest corner of the room and the group began to panic. Levi felt Eren latch onto him.   
“Let’s go this way.” Mikasa said.  
She had pointed at a door to their right. This door avoided the dark corner but was right next to the moving portrait. The group followed her lead. There was a scream and the lady in the picture burst out of the frame. The entire group made a mad dash through the chosen door to escape the ghostly looking lady. Levi knew it was coming and wasn’t frightened by it at all, but he got dragged through the door by a very terrified Eren. Mikasa moseyed in after them.  
The door led them into a long hallway with broken busts and random wardrobes. There were strobe lights in this hallway and maniacal laughter coming from the room at the end of the hall. Levi felt Eren’s grip on him tighten to alarming levels.   
“D-d-do we h-have to go through that d-door?” He asked.  
“Yeah. Unfortunately.” Levi answered.   
The group began their journey down the hall. It was going ok until one of the wardrobes popped open and a zombified person jumped out screaming bloody murder. Soon all the wardrobes were opening and more zombies were popping out. The group began running through the hall. Everyone, except Levi and Mikasa, was screaming. Eren was running the fastest and as a result he and Levi burst through the door at the end first.   
The room was a dining area and it made Levi wonder who designed it. He needed to know what sick person thought up dead bodies and entrails for the main dish. The same laughter they heard earlier was echoing through the room. Levi quickly noticed a black speaker in the corner of the dark room. There was no one in there with them. It was nothing, but props.   
The rest of the group came stumbling into the area and nearly knocked over Levi and Eren. Eren was frozen in place. He had his eyes shut tight and was trembling. Levi pulled his arm free from Eren’s death grip and cupped the brunette’s cheeks.  
“Eren none of this is real remember?” He asked in a soft tone.   
Eren nodded his head, but didn’t open his eyes. He continued to shake.  
“Can we go now or is the baby too scared?” One of the annoying kids asked mockingly.   
“Can you shut the fuck up?” Levi replied harshly.   
“How about we go to the next room? The one to the left?” Mikasa asked the group.   
They all agreed and continued on.   
“I’ll try to keep them moving slow so you can catch up.” Mikasa said to Levi before she disappeared with everyone else.  
With the audience gone Levi was able to focus on Eren. He pulled him in close and shoved his face into his neck. Surprisingly the position wasn’t uncomfortable at all even with the height difference. Levi rubbed circles into Eren’s back.   
“I’m scared.” He heard Eren whisper.  
“I know, but there’s no reason to be. It’s all fake. Everything in this room is plastic and everyone we run into is a person in a mask.” Levi reassured.  
Eren didn’t respond. Levi could feel him shaking and he wanted it to stop.   
“Tell you what,” Levi said, “think of me as your own personal ghost buster. I won’t let anything in here get you and I’ll get rid of anyone that tries. I’ll protect you. You’re safe with me. You’ll always be safe with me.”   
The last part he didn’t mean to say out loud because he wasn’t just talking about the damn haunted house anymore. He’d protect Eren out in the real world too and he’d do it with his life. That was a fact.   
Eren straightened up and looked Levi in the eye.   
“Will you hum the ghost buster theme with me?” Eren asked.  
Levi nodded. Whatever Eren needed him to do he’d do it. He grabbed his hand and began humming.   
Several rooms later that’s how they made it out. Hand in hand and humming that damn theme song that would be stuck in everyone’s head for the rest of the day. Once they were outside Levi let go of Eren’s hand. For a moment Eren stared at the hand that Levi had just held before he looked up at him and smiled.   
“Thank you.” Eren said.  
Levi wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw a flicker of sadness in Eren’s eyes and he didn’t know why


	14. Scale the wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is up with Eren. Levi gets to pick the next activity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to update tags again. Just know that other AoT characters are mentioned or appear. You probably noticed that by now XD

He stood there staring off into the distance. Green and gold eyes locked onto the same couple they had just been teamed up with. The two sat at a bench across the ways from them and were being a typical young couple. Holding hands, bumping shoulders, laughing, and sharing a drink. It wasn’t anything special to Levi so he didn’t understand Eren’s fascination with them. Eren was clutching his hand to his chest, the same one Levi had held, and watched the two love birds with a sad look in his eyes.   
“Hey.” Levi tried to gain Eren’s attention.  
When that didn’t work he looked to Mikasa. She gave him a confused shake of her head. She didn’t know why he was so lost in thought either.   
“Eren.” She tried.  
He still didn’t respond. He continued to gaze at the two across from them and clutched his hand tighter to his chest. Mikasa dug through her little bag and pulled out her phone. She hit a number and waited. About 2 seconds later the sound of Metallica’s “Fuel” came blasting from Eren’s back pack at full volume. Eren was startled out of his thoughts and jumped at the sound. He began frantically digging through the pack and pulled out his phone. He answered without even looking at the caller ID.  
“Hello?” He said breathlessly.  
“Eren.” Mikasa answered.  
Eren turned around and shouted into the phone.  
“What the hell Mikasa? I’m standing right here!”  
Mikasa hung up her cell and put it away.  
“You weren’t paying attention to us. You’ve been staring at that couple for a while now.” She said.  
“I wasn’t staring...I was thinking about something.”   
“What were you thinking about?”  
“I...I had this dream and...”   
He trailed off and then realized he was still holding his phone to his ear. His face was turning red and Levi wasn’t sure if it was because of the dream he had or the fact that he was still talking into his phone long after Mikasa had hung up hers. He was curious about this dream though.   
“What did you dream about that’s got you so spacey?” Levi asked.  
Levi had seen Eren’s face turn multiple shades of red throughout the day, but this one took the cake. Eren’s eyes where looking everywhere except at Levi.   
“Nothing. It’s not important.” He said.  
Levi didn’t really believe that, but he decided to let it go. Eren had been tortured enough for the day and didn’t need to be made fun of for whatever he dreamt about.   
“Isn’t it your turn?” Eren asked him.  
“My turn for what?” Levi questioned.  
Eren stretched his arm out to Mikasa. He made a grabby motion with his hand. She understood what he meant and handed over the map of the park. Eren then handed it over to Levi.  
“To pick something,” Eren said, “you haven’t picked anything all day. You’ve just been following us around.”   
He motioned between himself and Mikasa. To be honest Levi didn’t really care what they did. He had a good time either way and the brats were probably better suited for picking fun activities than he was. His idea of fun involved bleach and rubber gloves. He was ready to decline the offer, but Eren was looking at him with big expectant eyes and he didn’t want to let the beauty down.   
He studied the map closely. In his mind he checked off the things they had already done.  
The Titan roller coaster:   
Check.  
Funnel cakes:   
Check.  
The kid zone:  
Check.  
The spinning ride that made Eren vomit:  
Check.  
Bumper cars:  
Check.  
The haunted house that was sure to give Eren nightmares:  
Check.  
He continued to search the page. A few things really stood out to him. The rocky river ride might have been fun if it wasn’t chilly out. Actually, no it wouldn’t be fun. Who knew what was in that water? There was a smaller roller coaster called “The abnormal” that was notorious for all its upside down loops. That could be fun and Eren really loved roller coasters. He spotted the arcade/game area that they started in. He could go back and win Eren that prize he wanted. He imagined giving Eren a big fluffy animal of some sort and the smile that would appear on his face. That was very appealing to Levi. He was about to suggest going back to the area when another part of the map caught his eye.   
He was pleasantly surprised to see that the park offered these activities. It was something he’d done before and actually enjoyed. There was an area with a bungee jump, a zip line, and Levi’s personal favorite, rock climbing. Uncle Kenny had taken him a few times when he was a kid and if he had a day off as a teenager, he’d go with his friends. The activity always worked to clear Levi’s mind.   
“This.” He said as he pointed to it on the map.  
“You want to bungee jump?” Eren asked.  
“No,” Levi clarified, “I want to rock climb. We can bungee jump after if you want.”  
Eren leaned in closer to get a better look at the map. They were extremely close and Eren surprised Levi by leaning into his neck a little.  
“You smell good.” Eren said.  
“He smells good?” Mikasa asked.  
Eren jerked away from Levi like a surprised cat.  
“I-I noticed when he helped me back at the haunted house! Th-that’s all! I just wanted to tell him, I’m not being creepy I swear! It’s like cinnamon spice and-and...it’s nice.” Eren rambled.  
He quickly shut himself up and grabbed Mikasa’s arm.  
“We should head to the rock climbing.” Eren said, desperate to change the subject.  
Levi was screaming on the inside. It wasn’t much, but Eren admitting that he thought he smelt good was stroking his ego. He made a mental note to keep buying the same body wash. He wouldn’t want Eren hating his scent.  
The walk to the rock wall wasn’t very far. Levi followed behind Eren and Mikasa. He might have checked Eren out from behind a bit, but he wouldn’t tell Eren that. He didn’t mean to be a pervert, but he couldn’t help himself. Eventually he moved to Mikasa’s side.   
“This should be interesting.” She said.  
“How so?” Levi asked.   
“We tried rock climbing once before.”   
Levi didn’t know that, but he couldn’t say he was surprised. Although she’d expressed interest in it when they were young, she never actually accompanied Levi to their local rock climbing facility. Her mom didn’t want her doing anything too dangerous, but that all changed when she started her martial arts lessons and proved she could handle herself. By then she was more invested in her lessons than she was interested in climbing some fake rocks.   
“When was this?” Levi asked.  
“Jean’s 17th birthday. His parents rented out this place that has all kinds of things to do.” She answered.  
“Sounds fun. How did you like it?”  
“I loved it, but Eren on the other hand...”  
“It wasn’t my fault.” Eren defended.   
Mikasa laughed before filling Levi in on the details.  
“He was hanging upside down and struggling for a good five minutes. He ended up smacking his head into the wall and a staff member had to help him down.”  
“Haha so funny.” Eren said in a sarcastic tone.  
“It is now, but at the moment I was really worried about you.” Mikasa told him.  
Levi could only imagine it. He could already hear Eren yelling that he could get it right and that he didn’t need help. He wondered why Mikasa didn’t tell him about it in any of her emails. It was definitely one for the books.   
“The equipment was broken.” Eren mumbled.  
“Don’t worry Brat, I’ll show you how it’s done this time.” Levi teased.  
“I’m pretty sure that bump to my head is the reason I failed my math test.”  
That got all three of them laughing. Eren swore it was the truth and that he’d suffered a major brain injury. Mikasa quipped that it explained a lot about him and he playfully pushed her away.   
They came up to the rock wall and marveled at the size of it. The one Levi had climbed was indoors and no where near as tall. Excitement settled in his bones and he couldn’t wait to get to the top. There were multiple employees assigned to the area and it was conveniently located near some medical tents. Most people might be put off by it, but it only served to hype Levi up. This was the kind of controlled danger he lived for. There was a scream to their left and they turned just in time to see someone take a dive off the bungee jump tower. They bounced around screaming for a good while until the park employee’s began pulling them up.   
“Oh we’re definitely doing that next.” Eren said.  
Levi was glad to hear it because now that he’d seen it in action, he really wanted to give it a try. First things first though. The group was greeted by a small blonde girl with big blue eyes. She introduced herself as Historia and helped them get set up. Levi liked her. She was a sweet little thing who seemed to love her job. Apparently she had a bit of a dangerous side that no one would guess because of her appearance.   
“Ok. Is everything comfortable?” She asked them.  
They all nodded her heads as she checked them over once more.  
“Alright guys. You’re free to climb!” She exclaimed.  
‘Finally.’ Levi thought.   
He was the first to take off. He found his footing and reached up for one of the multi colored rocks. Using his leg and arm muscles he began to pull himself up at an impressive speed. He scaled the wall like it was nothing, never missing a step and never struggling to find his hold.   
It wasn’t long before he reached the top. The view took his breath away. He could see the whole park and the people looked so small. He took a deep breath and felt the breeze ruffle his ink black hair. He let his eyes slip shut and took a moment to enjoy the feeling. About a minute later Mikasa was making her way up to him. She looked like a natural as she climbed up.  
“You’re fast.” She commented once she got close enough to Levi.  
“Where’s Eren?” He asked.  
He really hoped Eren wasn’t tangled in his gear.  
“He’s coming up with Historia.”  
Levi didn’t realize that Historia was scaling the wall with them. He adjusted his angle and spotted them on the other side of the massive structure still some ways below. They were deep in conversation and taking their time with the climb. Levi noted the way they interacted. They’d bump shoulders occasionally and Historia would giggle a lot. Eren’s laugh sounded loud enough for Levi and Mikasa to hear. Either they had hit it off as friends or there was some flirting going on.  
“Eren doesn’t flirt.” Mikasa said.  
Her mind reading abilities never ceased to amaze him.   
Eren and Historia’s voices got louder the closer they got. Levi could now hear the full conversation.   
“I can’t believe your dad owns the park!” Eren exclaimed.  
“Yeah, the other employees joke around and call me the park princess.” Historia replied back with a giggle.  
“Do you get special treatment?”  
“No I make sure to be treated just like everyone else. It’s only fair.”  
Eren and Historia finally reached the top. They were both slightly winded from the strength it took to get up. Eren practically crashed into Levi in his excitement.  
“You were amazing! You got up here like it was nothing!” Eren said in complete astonishment.  
Levi cocked his head and let a smirk form on his lips.  
“I see you actually managed to stay upright.” He said.  
Eren’s face was priceless.  
“I told you that wasn’t my fault! I bet you’re feeling all high and mighty being up this high, considering how short you are.” Eren retorted.   
Levi bumped his shoulder causing Eren to laugh.  
“Watch it Brat.” Levi warned.  
Eren leaned in and booped his nose.  
“Do something about it.” He challenged.  
Eren began his descent while laughing his ass off. Levi followed after him determined to make Eren pay. Mikasa and Historia quickly followed. Once they reached the bottom Eren attempted to escape Levi’s wrath, but he couldn’t go very far with his equipment still on. Levi caught Eren from behind and, not wanting to actually hurt him, began furiously tickling his sides.  
“Levi stop! I’m sorry!” Eren begged mid laughter.  
Levi didn’t let up though.   
“You insulted my height one too many times today.” Levi said.  
“I’m sorry, I love your height! It suits you!”   
“You booped my nose.”  
“It’s so perfect, I couldn’t help it!”   
Eren was gasping for breath. He was laughing so hard that tears began to trail down his face. He’d managed to turn himself around so that he was facing Levi and dropped his head onto Levi’s shoulder. Levi finally let up on his attack and just held Eren by the hips as he attempted to catch his breath.   
Mikasa and Historia freed themselves of their gear and once Levi relinquished his hold on Eren, they got out of theirs too. It turned out Mikasa had taken a liking to the petite blonde as well. Soon the three teens were trading numbers with each other.  
“We should hang out sometime. Our friends would love you.” Eren said.  
“That’d be great and I’d really love it if my girlfriend Ymir and I could double date with you and your boyfriend.” Historia said with a smile.  
“My boyfriend?”   
Historia pointed to Levi.   
“OH. No...he’s not my boyfriend.” Eren corrected her.  
She apologized for her mistake, but Eren was quick to tell her it wasn’t a big deal. They fell into conversation again and Levi joined in. As they talked something in the back of his mind told him that Eren sounded disappointed this time when he corrected Historia on the boyfriend thing. Levi brushed it off as wishful thinking.


	15. The Date, The Kiss, and The Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Take a peek into Eren’s mind.

Eren checked himself over in the mirror. Today he’d forgone his worn out clothes and had gotten all dolled up. He donned a white button down, a forest green cardigan (Armin said it accentuated the color of his one green eye), a pair of fitting white skinny jeans, and some brown boots. He undid the first three buttons of his shirt and ran a hand through his hair. This felt like a good look. Not too fancy, but not too casual.  
On his bed his phone started buzzing. Eren dove for it a little faster than he’d like to admit and willed his heart to slow down.

Levi: I’m here.

Oh shit! Eren wasn’t quite ready yet. He still felt like he was missing something, but decided it was just his nerves messing with him. He didn’t know why he was so nervous to begin with. He and Levi had pretty much spent the entire week together, going on a series of dates and texting back and forth. Maybe it was the feeling that this was becoming something solid. Maybe tonight was the night they put a title to what they were, what they had become.  
One last look in the mirror and Eren was out the door. He ran down his drive way and let himself into Levi’s black 1990s jaguar. As soon as he was situated Levi leaned over and gave him kiss on his cheek, something he’d started doing on their 3rd date.   
“Hey.” Levi greeted casually.  
“H-hi.” Eren stuttered out.  
He hated how he still got so flustered. He could feel his cheeks growing warm. It didn’t help any that Levi was staring at him with those adoring eyes.  
“Do I look ok?” Eren asked shyly.  
“More than ok,” Levi answered, “but you’re always stunning no matter what.”  
Eren was sure Rudolph’s nose had nothing on his face at that moment. Levi put the car in drive and took off down the road. Eren admired his side profile as Levi focused on the road and the vehicles in front of them. He looked godly with his jet black hair, pointed nose, and well defined jaw line. He was wearing black slacks, black boots, and a white button down with the top buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up. Eren marveled at his toned forearms and let his eyes trail up to his obviously muscular biceps.  
“I hope you’re hungry.”   
Eren jumped at the sound of Levi’s voice. There was a smirk on Levi’s face and Eren knew he’d been caught staring. How embarrassing.  
“Starving actually.” He replied.  
It was true. He forgot to eat that day. He was too busy wondering what Levi had planned for them that night.  
“Good. We’re going to Paradis.” Levi said.  
Paradis was a well known patio bar and grill in town. They had live music every weekend and always had lights strewn about the patio making it warm and inviting. They were known to have the best burgers around and Eren loved a good cheeseburger. Soon they pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and exited the vehicle. Levi came around and grasped Eren’s hand, leading him into the restaurant and up to the hostess.  
“Table for two?” She asked with a big smile on her face.  
“Yes please.” Levi answered.  
“Would you like to be seated inside or outside?”   
Levi looked to Eren. He didn’t realize he got to pick where they sat.  
“Outside please.” Eren said.  
“Perfect, please follow me.” The hostess said as she grabbed some menus, some silverware, and led them to a table on the patio.   
“Your server will be right with you.” She informed them before taking her leave.  
Eren looked around the venue. There was a short black fence separating them from the outside world that had golden string lights woven across. Above them the same lights draped over them, a ceiling of sorts, held up by some strategically placed poles. Multiple small black tables lined the fence and a few larger ones were placed in the center. There was an area that was empty of tables right in front of a small stage. Eren assumed it was so that people could dance to whatever was playing. Currently, there was an unknown band playing something Eren faintly recognized. People were clapping along and cheering as the female lead hit an impressive high note.  
Eren absolutely loved the atmosphere. Everyone was in a good mood and the evening air was pleasant and refreshing. Not to mention the beautiful man that was sitting across from him. Soon their waitress was at their table and ready to serve them.  
“Can I start you off with something to drink? Our new watermelon margaritas are very refreshing.” She said.  
“I’ll just take a water.” Levi replied.  
“I’ll have a coke.” Eren said.  
The waitress wrote down their requests and promised she’d be back as soon as possible.   
“Three more years and I’m coming back for that watermelon margarita.” Eren joked.  
Levi chuckled at that.  
“I’m not one for fruity drinks. I’m more of a red wine kind of guy.” He said.  
Somehow Eren wasn’t surprised by that piece of information. It seemed to fit Levi’s character. He could easily picture him with a wine glass in his hand and a seductive look on his face.   
Two drinks were placed in front of them and the waitress asked if they were ready to order. Eren got the classic cheeseburger and steak fries while Levi ordered a pasta dish with a side salad. While they waited for their food Eren rested his chin in his hand and watched the stage. He could appreciate the music the band was playing. It wasn’t too rock and it wasn’t too pop. It was somewhere in between and it was just right for the venue.  
“They’re pretty good.” Levi commented.  
“They are. If your band were still together, do you think you’d be playing at places like this?” Eren asked.  
“I would hope so. We’d start out small and then make our way to bigger venues. Thanks to social media we’d be able to put our name and music out there.”  
“Then you’d be famous. I bet you’d have tons of fans and groupies.”  
“Yeah well, they’d be disappointed to know I already have someone special in my life.”  
At Levi’s words Eren’s heart fluttered. The butterflies in his stomach were going haywire and his brain was trying to process the meaning of Levi’s words. It was hard to concentrate when Levi was giving him that loving look again.  
“Ok here you go!” The waitress said as she appeared out of no where with their food.   
“I didn’t mean to interrupt you love birds, but these plates can get pretty heavy.” She said with a laugh.  
Eren’s cheeseburger looked delicious and he had to admit that Levi’s dish looked good too. He took a bite hoping he wouldn’t be disappointed and he was not. He hummed in approval and continued to scarf down his burger. Across the table he heard Levi mumble something about an adorable brat.  
“Slow down the food isn’t going anywhere,” Levi said, “I don’t need you choking on a fry.”  
Eren smiled sheepishly. He had a tendency to eat like their was no tomorrow when the food was really good. He picked up a napkin and wiped at his face.  
“How is your pasta?” He asked.  
“It’s delicious. Here try some.”  
Levi picked up some sauce covered noddles with his fork and held it out to Eren. His free hand hovered beneath the fork to ensure nothing fell on the table. Typical Levi, trying to prevent a mess. It made Eren smile.  
He leaned forward and took a bite of the offered food. It really was delicious. With a bar, live music, and great food it was no wonder the restaurant was always packed on the weekends.   
“Wow. I’m officially in love with this place.” Eren stated.  
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Levi said with a chuckle.  
They returned to eating their respective meals, Eren made sure to take it slow and savor the food. Every so often the waitress would check in on them and ask how everything was. The band was still going strong and more people were still showing up. Levi and Eren easily fell into conversation.   
“I can play Enter Sandman in my sleep.” Eren said.  
He and Levi were currently chatting about Eren’s flute playing.  
“Can you now?” Levi questioned.  
“Yes! It was one of my favorites to play with the band.”  
“Mikasa mentioned you were first chair.”  
“I was always first chair.” Eren said, pride clear in his voice.  
“That’s incredible,” Levi commented, “I need to hear you play sometime.”  
“I could play you one of my UIL solos.”  
“I would like that. It seems like you’ve got a lot of talent.”  
“I wouldn’t call it talent. I put a lot of hard work into it. I sucked before high school, but it was something I really wanted to do and I knew I had to work at it or nothing would change.”  
There was admiration in Levi’s eyes. He gave a small nod in agreement with Eren’s statement.   
“That’s something I love about you. It also helps that you’re stubborn as hell.” He said.  
Eren laughed, a small blush tinting his cheeks.  
Once they finished eating, Levi asked Eren if he wanted dessert. Eren answered by saying that shouldn’t even be a question and the two ended up splitting a piece of chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream.   
“Ok guys we’re gonna take things down a bit.” The girl on stage announced.  
The drummer counted them off at a slower tempo and the guitar came in with a smooth riff. The lead singer sat herself at a keyboard and added to the mix of sounds. Her voice floated through the air clear and confident in her words. Eren was so caught up in the moment he didn’t notice when Levi stood up, his hand outstretched.  
“Dance with me.” He said.   
Eren took Levi’s hand and let himself be led out onto the dance floor. Levi put his hands on his waist and guided his movements in time with the music. Eren had his arms wrapped around Levi’s neck. There was almost no space left between the two, but it felt like they still weren’t close enough. Never in his life had Eren wanted to be kissed by someone so badly. Something about Levi had him wanting more and not just physically, but emotionally as well.   
Eren found himself looking into ice blue eyes. For such a cold color, Eren saw nothing but warmth. He didn’t realize they’d slowly been drifting closer. Their faces were so close he could feel Levi’s breath ghosting across his skin. Levi’s hand found its way to the back of Eren’s neck and gently pulled him down and suddenly he was being kissed. He was being kissed like he was the most precious person in the world. Slowly, sweetly. Eren didn’t really know what he was doing, but he attempted to follow Levi’s lead. It was perfect. Everything around them seemed to fade away until it was just the two of them. They were in there own little world with nothing but the string lights to illuminate them and the music in the background.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“Eren!” Mikasa shouted.  
Eren had to physically step back. Once he blinked his vision back into focus, he got a face full of Mikasa. She looked concerned.  
“You we’re zoning out again. Eren, are you feeling ok?” She asked.  
Eren chanced a glance at Levi and saw that he had the exact same facial expression as Mikasa. His eyes fell to his lips and immediately shot back up. Eren shook his head and rubbed at the back of his neck. His dream was taunting him.  
“I’m fine Mikasa. I was just thinking.” He answered.  
“About that dream again?” Levi asked.   
Eren chose to stare at his shoes. He didn’t want to be asked about his dream because he didn’t want to explain to Levi that in his sleep they were dating and had even kissed. It was a strange feeling. Eren had never had a dream that made his heart feel like it was being squeezed long after waking up. He couldn’t stop playing it over in his head. He was starting to question why he felt like this.  
“If you need to talk about it I’m hear to listen.” Levi said.  
There he went again, being incredibly kind to Eren. All day he’d let Eren drag him around, he comforted him when the memory of his mom go to be too much, he made him laugh countless times, he didn’t make fun of him for being afraid of the haunted house and even gave him the courage to get through, he offered him advice, he let himself be used as a pillow, and he still had that ridiculous skull on his cheek all because Eren wanted a face painting.   
“It’s not a big deal, besides I’m ready to do some bungee jumping.” Eren said, ready to change the subject.   
His heart was squeezing again and he heard Levi’s voice in his head telling him that there was someone he loved. Eren came to the conclusion that whoever it was, they were one of the luckiest people alive.


	16. Guess Who’s Back?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi gets a call and Eren answers it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me forever to write this chapter and it’s not even good. DX

Eren was a thrill seeker, Levi could tell that much. He was also reckless and temperamental. Levi specifically remembered the name “Suicidal Bastard” in one of Mikasa’s emails. He constantly got into fights, both verbal and physical, but usually with good reason. Unless it was with Jean.  
Currently Eren swung in the air after jumping off a 43 meter structure with nothing but a harness and a shock cord to catch him. Even from his spot on the ground, Levi could tell that he was having the time of his life. While most people might find it too much to deal with in a relationship, Levi found that he didn’t care. He loved that Eren had the guts to stand up to a bully or to bungee jump to his heart’s content and if his temper flared up, Levi knew he could deal with it. He wanted Eren exactly the way he was.  
A sharp sensation in his arm pulled him out of his sappy thoughts. The pain increased as Mikasa continued to dig her nails into him.  
“What if the cord snaps?” She asked.  
“It won’t.” Levi answered, again.  
Mikasa was a tad bit paranoid about Eren bungee jumping. Even though Historia had briefed them on the safety procedures the team takes to ensure that nothing goes wrong during park hours, Mikasa still attempted to talk Eren out of the jump. As soon as they got to the line she began suggesting other activities and even asked Levi to talk him out of it, claiming Eren would listen to him if he asked. Of course Eren’s mind couldn’t be changed and so now here they were.  
“You’re going to break my arm.” Levi stated as he pried Mikasa’s fingers off of him.  
“I’m sorry. I just don’t know what I’d do if something ever happened to him.” Mikasa admitted.  
She finally relinquished his arm and took to fiddling with her scarf. Levi understood where she was coming from. He didn’t want anything to happen to Eren either, but he knew they were pretty safe at the park. He trusted the employees knew what they were doing. Well, all of them except for one who shall not be named. Yes, Levi was still a little salty.  
It wasn’t long before they were working to let Eren down. Mikasa was glad it was over and Levi was bracing for impact. He knew Eren would be all jazzed up from the adrenaline high and that either he or Mikasa were going to get tackled.  
Sure enough Levi was hit like a ton of bricks. Luckily he was prepared and was able to prevent them from falling to the ground by spinning Eren around in his arms. Then Eren and his warmth were gone from Levi’s hold and he was on to tackling Mikasa. Levi watched in amusement as Eren crushed her, completely catching her off guard. They fumbled for their balance a bit before Eren let up and turned his attention back to Levi. Eren grabbed him by the shoulders and began shaking him.  
“That was amazing!” Eren shouted in excitement.  
Mikasa quickly snatched Eren from Levi. She held his hands as she fired off a multitude of questions.  
“Eren, are you hurt? Dizzy? Is your stomach upset? Are you feeling ok?”  
“Geez Mikasa you’re so overdramatic. I’m fine.” Eren said with mild annoyance and a roll of his eyes.  
Levi took the back pack he’d been holding for Eren off his shoulders and handed it back. Eren pulled his hands away from Mikasa and grabbed his bag. As soon as he did it began buzzing. He opened it up and pulled out Levi’s phone.  
“Um someone named Hanji wants to FaceTime you.” Eren informed Levi as he held the phone out to him.  
Nope.  
“Ignore it.” He said.  
He didn’t feel like talking to Hanji after the stunt they pulled earlier. That was enough for the day.  
“But you haven’t seen them in forever. You should answer it.” Mikasa said.  
If only she knew.  
“No.” Levi stated.  
“Who’s Hanji?” Eren asked.  
“That’s Levi’s best friend who he hasn’t seen in years.” Mikasa answered.  
Eren gave Levi a look of disbelief.  
“You should answer it!” He exclaimed.  
“No. They’re bat shit crazy and I don’t want to deal with them right now.” Levi said.  
“Don’t be an ass.”  
“I’m not. I’m being honest.”  
Eren gave him a pointed look.  
“Just answer it. They’re not giving up.” He said.  
It was true. Most people hung up after a few rings, but not Hanji. They were still waiting for Levi to answer. Maybe he should just turn his phone off? Levi’s contemplation was cut short by a hello and a shrill scream. Eren was fumbling with the phone attempting to keep it from dropping to the ground, completely caught off guard by the screaming that was coming from the other end.  
“Eren...no.” Levi said.  
Eren gave him a guilty smile before turning his attention back to the phone. The damn brat had answered it. Have mercy on his soul.  
“Hello...” Eren said as he looked at the phone.  
“HI!!! Eren right?! Right?!” Hanji questioned.  
“...um yes.”  
“EEE!!”  
Eren winced at the shrill sound. Mikasa looked unfazed by Hanji and their antics. Meanwhile Levi stood across from Eren, pinching the bridge of his nose. It was only a matter of time before Hanji made the poor kid uncomfortable.  
“You’re even cuter up close! Look at those eyes! They’re gorgeous!” Hanji shouted.  
“T-thanks,” Eren said as he rubbed at the back of his neck, his cheeks slightly pink, “What do you mean I’m cuter up close?”  
Hanji laughed in that classic maniacal way.  
“Oh never mind that. Say Eren, where’s my shorty?” They asked.  
Eren took that as his cue to hand the phone over to its rightful owner. Levi grabbed the phone with very little enthusiasm. The fact that Eren identified him as “shorty” was rubbing his ego the wrong way. On the screen Hanji was waiting with a shit eating grin.  
“What?” Levi asked.  
“He’s so adorable Levi! Those eyes! I wasn’t expecting that! Oh I really want to study them. They are fascinating.” Hanji replied loudly.  
Levi looked up to see Eren looking slightly embarrassed. Mikasa was beginning to look amused.  
“Was there something you wanted?” Levi questioned.  
“Yes! Poor little me was bored at home when a thought occurred to me!”  
“Dare I ask?”  
“Do you have a ring?! You can’t propose without a ring!”  
Levi was pinching the bridge of his nose again. He was going to need some pain killers for the Hanji induced headache he was getting.  
“I’m hanging up.” He said.  
“Levi! Wait! I have so many ideas for the wedding,” Hanji whined, “at least let me talk to Mikasa!”  
Mikasa grabbed the phone out of Levi’s hands at the mention of her name. Levi glared at her as if it would have any affect. It didn’t of course. Mikasa paid him no attention as she spoke to Hanji.  
“Hello.” Mikasa said.  
“Hi gorgeous! How are you?!” Hanji replied.  
“I’m doing good.”  
“That’s great! How’s the day going?”  
Levi knew that tone of voice. He knew Hanji wasn’t really asking about the day, it was their way of asking how it was going with him and Eren without actually saying it. He could easily picture them waggling their eyebrows in that annoying way. Mikasa simply gave a thumbs up at Hanji.  
“Hit a minor road bump, but based off recent events, I think it’s going great.” She added.  
Hanji cackled loud enough for the whole park to hear.  
“Wonderful!” They yelled.  
Levi was ready for this conversation to end. Although his curiosity had peaked when Mikasa said things were going great. Was she seeing something he wasn’t? Levi attempted to go over the day’s events in his head, but Hanji’s loud ass voice was too much of a distraction. He’d always been a bit of a pessimist. It was possible that his negativity could be passing off some of Eren’s behavior as him being nice or over excited, but did he dare let himself think that Eren could be crushing on him? What if he was all wrong and only set himself up for heartbreak?  
Levi noticed that the phone had been handed back to Eren. That couldn’t be good news.  
“So Eren,” Hanji began, “I need to know more about you.”  
“Ok...” Eren seemed a little hesitant and with good reason.  
“How old are you?”  
“I’m eighteen.”  
“So young! What’s your favorite food?”  
“Cheeseburger.”  
“Good choice! Levi himself loves a good burger, but I wouldn’t say it’s his favorite. What’s your favorite music genre?”  
“Umm...I listen to a lot, but I prefer any kind of rock.”  
“Levi and I used to be in a rock band together! Who’s your favorite group?”  
“Metallica.”  
“Very nice. Have you ever been arrested?”  
“No...”  
“Good! How many significant others have you had?”  
“...none...”  
“Not even one?! With those eyes and that cute little booty I find that fascinating. Can I assume you’re still innocent, if you know what I mean?”  
Eren’s face was flaming red now. Levi snatched the phone away from him and quickly ended the call. He knew it was only a matter of time before Hanji said something inappropriate. They had zero boundaries and Levi wondered how the hell they ended up as best friends.  
“That was...interesting,” Eren stated somewhat awkwardly, “it sounded like they’d seen me before...”  
Levi sighed. He’d spare Eren the details of how Hanji had tailed them through the park earlier to study his and Eren’s interactions.  
“They were here earlier, but left before you guys could meet them.” He said.  
“Really?” Mikasa asked in surprise.  
“Yeah. It’s not that important though.” Levi said.  
He fixed Eren with a stern look.  
“I hope you learned a lesson about listening to me when I say I don’t want to answer the phone.” He said.  
“Sorry.” Eren apologized quietly.  
“It’s fine. Just don’t ever answer my phone to Hanji again.”  
There was a look on Eren’s face, like someone had kicked his puppy. He was clenching his hand to his chest. Levi didn’t think he’d gone that hard on him. He merely reprimanded him for his poor choice of actions.  
“Don’t worry about it. I’m not mad at you.” Levi said in hopes of wiping the sad look from Eren’s face.  
“Are you really going to propose to that person you said you loved?” Eren asked.  
Levi was a little taken aback. He didn’t expect Eren to ask him about that, not with that disappointed tone in his voice.  
“No. They’re getting way ahead of themselves. They’re crazy remember?”  
Eren nodded his head.  
“If they’re teasing about marriage you must really be in love.” He said.  
Levi studied Eren’s face for a bit. He was smiling, but it didn’t reach his eyes.  
“Levi’s got it bad.” Mikasa interjected.  
Eren’s smiled faltered a bit at her words. She placed a hand on Eren’s shoulder and winked at Levi.  
“Come on Eren. Let’s go find something to drink, I’m out of water.” Mikasa said as she led Eren away.  
Why was Eren so upset at the idea of Levi being in love? He couldn’t stop the feeling that was blossoming in his chest. Did he dare let himself believe that Eren was crushing on him?


	17. Experimental

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi wants to know if Eren is interested in him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter is a mess.

Levi was staring. He was just openly staring at Eren and he couldn’t stop. Although it would probably be more appropriate to say that he was studying Eren. Ever since he heard that disappointed tone in Eren’s voice when the subject of marriage came up, he couldn’t help but wonder what exactly was going on with him. Now he needed to know if the pink tinge to Eren’s cheeks were caused by him or something else, if every time they bumped shoulders was intentional or not, if Eren really was looking at Levi’s lips with a desperate look in his eyes or if he was just imagining that. Levi needed to know these things and studying Eren’s behavior was the only way to get answers. He had an idea in mind, one that involved less of what probably looked like creepy staring and more action.   
He was, in all honesty, a little on the fence about his plan. He really didn’t want to make Eren uncomfortable and he didn’t want to upset him in anyway, he would just have to be careful not to take things too far. That being said, he was ready to start his experiment. Oh...oh no. Levi never thought he’d see the day when he turned into Hanji. No matter the outcome of the day he knew for sure he was going to need a drink. He’d be raiding Kenny’s fridge later.  
The trio had revisited the same table they sat at earlier that day when they ate their funnel cakes. It was conveniently close to the same burger place they had gotten food from and Mikasa was able to get herself some water. After begging her for an ice cream cone, Mikasa caved and Eren now had a double scoop of strawberry ice cream in a waffle cone. He had said that he didn’t get to finish his float earlier and at the very least deserved the damn cone. Levi took this as his opportunity to kick things into action. Once they sat down he purposefully sat next to Eren instead of across from him this time. It was Eren who moved closer. Levi knew he couldn’t have imagined that when their thighs and shoulders were touching. The only question was, why would Eren want to erase the space between them?   
‘Because he wants to be closer.’  
Levi’s mind supplied.  
He stayed where he was. This had to mean something. Levi wanted to put a hand on Eren’s thigh, but thought better of it. That would be taking things too far and Levi was not about to be labeled a creep.   
“Thanks Mikasa.” Eren said with a blinding smile as he began to eat his treat.   
A warm smile crept onto Mikasa’s face as she gave a silent “you’re welcome” with a slight nod of her head. She took a sip of her water and offered some to Levi. He declined. If he remembered correctly, he still had half a water bottle in Eren’s bag. He reached behind Eren and began unzipping the bag that was on his back.  
“Oh, did you need something?” Eren asked as he began to adjust his shoulders to take the bag off.  
“It’s fine. Just stay still.” Levi said.  
He didn’t have to dig far for his water bottle and he knew it was his because he had torn the label off of it as an identifier. He pulled the bottle out and zipped Eren’s back pack up for him. He shook the bottle a bit in front of Eren.  
“I got it.” He said.  
Eren smiled in return. Levi didn’t think it was possible, but Eren somehow managed to scoot even closer to Levi. He couldn’t move his arm without rubbing against him, not that he was complaining, but he wondered if Eren was even aware of his actions. The cute brunette was happily licking at his ice cream,completely oblivious to Levi’s questioning gaze.   
“Geez Eren, you’re practically in Levi’s lap. Why not just sit on him?” Mikasa deadpanned.  
“Wha-What?! No I’m not!” Eren attempted to defend himself.   
He quickly scooted away from Levi. He was clearly flustered and Levi would be lying if he said it wasn’t adorably amusing to watch. Mikasa was resting her head in her hand now, a small smirk gracing her lips.   
“You already slept in my lap, why not just sit?” Levi said with a straight face as he patted his lap.  
Eren looked at him with huge bewildered eyes. His mouth open in shock.   
“Th-that was sleeping! It’s different!” Eren practically yelled.  
Levi chuckled a bit.  
“Oh, is it?” He asked teasingly.  
“Yes! It’s a friendly thing...sitting on you would be...that’s what couples do!”   
“I see.”  
“Yeah and we’re not a couple...”  
Eren trailed off. There was that tone again. Levi was positive he wasn’t just hearing things. He studied him a little bit before patting Eren on the arm. He kind of felt bad for teasing him to the point of pouting at his ice cream cone.   
“Don’t get all worked up I was just teasing.” Levi said.  
Eren gave him a small smile, but Levi could see the disappointment in his eyes. Well holy shit. Maybe Eren did feel something for him. Or maybe he was just upset at being single in general. That was always a possibility. Mikasa did say he felt lonely at times. Levi knew he needed to investigate further before coming to any kind of conclusion. He watched Eren return to his cone and noticed some ice cream had collected at the corner of his mouth.   
‘Perfect.’ Levi thought.   
He seized the opportunity to run a little test.   
“Eren,” He said as he placed a hand on Eren’s cheek and turned his face back towards him, “you’re a messy eater.”  
He moved his hand from Eren’s cheek to gently grasp his chin. He slowly and purposely dragged his thumb across Eren’s bottom lip until he reached the mess at the corner of his mouth, he kept eye contact with Eren as he did so. Levi slowly wiped the area clean with his thumb before retracting his hand.   
Eren was frozen solid the whole time, face on fire. His eyes were wide and kept switching from looking into Levi’s eyes and down at Levi’s lips. That had to mean something. Levi already knew Eren found him attractive, but how attractive? The way Eren now bit at his bottom lip sure seemed like he wanted a kiss from Levi. Things were looking up.  
The three left their table not long after Eren finished his ice cream cone. Levi had stated that he knew where to go next and the two teens followed behind him. His plan was to go back to the arcade/game area and win a prize for Eren. It wasn’t part of his experiment, it was just something he wanted to do. Levi led the way in silence. Eren quickly figured out where they were going and was bouncing with excitement.  
“I can try to win that giant Pikachu again! I swear I’ll get it this time!” He declared.  
Both Levi and Mikasa chuckled at his determination to win the stuffed Pokémon. In his excitement, Eren ran past Levi and straight for the game with the darts. There were only a few people in front of him so he didn’t have to wait too long to try his luck again. Levi and Mikasa stood to his right and watched as he took his time aiming his first dart. He pulled his arm back slowly, his left hand held up as a guide, and threw the first dart. He missed.   
“You were so close!” The young girl working the stand said.  
“I’ll get it on the next one.” Eren stated.  
He had three darts left in his hand and he needed to hit two balloons in order to win anything. He could only miss once more and the balloons the park used were small and well spaced out. Eren took a deep breath and aimed again. There was a popping sound as his dart found its target. Eren first bumped the air.  
“Got one!” He shouted.  
Mikasa clapped a little for him.  
“You can do it Eren!” She said.  
“Focus Brat.” Levi advised.  
Eren nodded his head at them and gave an enthusiastic thumbs up. He aimed his next dart the same way he did before and took his shot. He deflated a little bit when the dart came no where near the balloon he was aiming for.   
“You still have a chance.” Levi said.  
Eren perked up at that and looked more determined than ever. The last dart left his hand after a moment of adjusting his aim. It flew through the air towards a red balloon. It just missed by an inch and landed in the wall right above the intended target.  
“No!” Eren yelled in frustration.  
“Sorry hun,” The employee said, “you can try again if you want.”   
There was currently no one behind them so Eren had the chance to go again. He looked defeated though. It was his second attempt to win the Pikachu and he still couldn’t do it. Levi stepped up.  
“I’ll try.” He said.  
“Great! Let me just set up.” The girl said.  
She removed the darts from the wall and quickly pumped some new balloons that she used to replace the popped ones. Once she was ready she handed Levi his four darts. Eren moved to stand by Mikasa and watch Levi play the game. Levi studied his targets for a moment and then, almost rapid fire, threw dart after dart at the wall. There was the pop of a balloon followed by another and another and another. All four targets had been hit. The employee turned to look at the wall in surprise. Eren was jumping up and down.  
“Holy shit that was amazing! How did you even do that?!” Eren yelled in amazement.  
Levi shrugged.  
“I played a lot of darts in Uncle Kenny’s garage.” He said.  
Next to Eren Mikasa snorted.  
“Show off.” She said as she crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.   
Eren laughed and playfully hit her in the arm.  
“Don’t be jealous because Levi has mad skills.” He teased.  
Levi turned his attention back to the young girl running the game. She had pulled all of his darts out of the wall and was standing in front of him with a huge smile.  
“That was definitely incredible. Which prize did you want?” She asked him.  
“That one.” Levi said and pointed at the giant Pikachu.   
The girl pulled the Pikachu down and handed it to Levi. The thing was huge. It was about as big as Levi’s entire upper half. It was also extremely soft. Levi turned and held it out to Eren.  
“It’s for you.” He said.  
Eren looked at him in shock.   
“Me?” He asked.  
“Yeah you. You wanted it right?” Levi questioned.  
Eren’s face lit up. He took the stuffed animal from Levi and hugged the ever living out of it. Levi felt warm and fuzzy watching Eren gush over the giant rodent. It was beyond cute and definitely worth the game.   
“That’s so sweet! I wish my boyfriend would do something like that for me.” The young employee said. She had a dreamy look in her eyes.   
Eren hid his face in his Pikachu, Mikasa snorted, and Levi shook his head.  
“We’re not boyfriends.” Levi corrected her.   
“I’m so sorry! I just thought...” The employee apologized.  
“Don’t worry about it. You’re not the only one who seems to think that.” Levi said.   
It never occurred to him how much they had acted like boyfriends today. They’d even been mistaken about three times already. The warm and fuzzy feeling in Levi intensified. It was feeling more and more like he had a solid chance at something with Eren. It was a great feeling, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up too high. He still needed to make sure he wouldn’t regret it. He’d much rather get rejected at the end of the day knowing it was coming than get rejected thinking he had a chance.   
They ventured away from the game of darts and further into the arcade area. There was a hunting game that caught Eren’s eye. It wasn’t your typical arcade game. It was a little more intricate. The set up was pretty big and had moving pieces. The animals were realistic looking and had small targets on them worth a certain amount of points. There was a plastic rifle attached to a screen that kept track of the scores. Mikasa went first. She took down several of the fake animals and unsurprisingly earned the new high score.  
“You and Levi have freaky aim.” Eren commented.  
“I played darts in Uncle Kenny’s garage too.” Mikasa said with a laugh.   
Eren rolled his eyes with a smile on his face. He took the plastic rifle from Mikasa and stood where she had just been.  
“I think you’re both just super human,” he said, “like your family DNA has been altered to make the Ackerman’s the best at everything.”   
“Don’t be jealous because we have mad skills.” Mikasa said throwing Eren’s earlier words right back at him.   
He stuck his tongue out at her before putting his focus into the game. No one was really surprised when Eren missed the fake deer and hit the tree behind it. He let out a huff of air.  
“I suck.” He said, bitterness in his voice.  
“You’re just doing it wrong.” Levi replied.  
He walked up behind Eren, deciding he’d give him a hand. He knew Eren was probably beginning to feel embarrassed and inferior even if they were just playing games. Then it occurred to Levi that this was another opportunity to observe Eren’s reactions to him. This was too perfect. Levi did it just like you see in the movies. He pressed himself against Eren and put his arms over his in an attempt to correct their positioning. He tiptoed just a smidge so that his breath was on Eren’s ear. The bright eyed beauty tensed up. Levi heard his breath hitch and he knew Eren was being affected by their position and Levi’s close proximity. Eren’s aim faltered even under Levi’s instruction. He turned his mismatched eyes to Levi. They were extremely close. Levi could make out every flaw Eren didn’t have and could feel his breath ghost across his own lips. ABORT! ABORT! Levi didn’t think this all the way through. He’d planned on seeing if Eren reacted to him in any kind of way, but he didn’t plan on the trance he’d be put in at the sight of Eren’s beautiful eyes, his pink lips parted, his breathing slightly off, and the pink tinge on his cheeks. If Levi didn’t back away now he might end up kissing those perfect lips. Damn did he want to kiss Eren.   
It happened in an instant. Levi meant to put some space between them when his lips were captured by Eren’s. Eren had closed the distance and was sloppily kissing Levi. Levi didn’t even stop to think about what was happening. He kissed Eren back and guided him through it. It was somewhat awkward, Eren had clearly never kissed anyone before, but it was still amazing. Then it was over. It lasted maybe ten seconds and Eren was jumping away from Levi like he’d been electrocuted. His eyes were wide with shock at his actions and Levi could see tears beginning to form.   
“I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have done that!” Eren exclaimed as he dropped the plastic rifle he’d been holding and fled from the arcade.


	18. Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diving back into Eren’s mind.

In Eren’s dream kissing Levi had been wonderful. In reality saying that kissing Levi was wonderful was the understatement of the century. It was beyond that. Eren was struck by the taste and warmth of the other male and he couldn’t get enough. It made his heart beat faster, his nerves buzz, and a feeling of warmth wash through him. He was aware that he didn’t really know what he was doing, but he swore he felt Levi kissing him back and starting to take control. Eren didn’t mind one bit.  
As incredible as it was, it was ruined when reality came crashing back into him like a run away train. A weight settled on his chest like an anvil as his mind began screaming the truth of the matter at him.  
‘He’s already got someone! You’re just forcing yourself on him! He’s going to hate you!’  
Those words had Eren abruptly ending the kiss and backing away. This couldn’t be happening. There was no way Eren had gone and done something as stupid as kissing a man who’s heart was already taken. The look of shock on Levi’s face made Eren’s chest hurt even more. He’d fucked up so bad. It was that knowledge that spurred him into motion.  
“I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have done that!” Eren shouted in distress.  
Then he was running. He bolted past Mikasa and didn’t even bother to pick up the giant Pikachu he had left on the floor next to the stupid hunting game. As he exited the arcade he faintly heard Mikasa’s voice yelling his name, but he didn’t look back and he didn’t stop. He didn’t even know where he was running too, but he was going fast enough to rival the flash.  
People would stop and stare as he ran by. Others would just ignore him completely. It didn’t matter. People could judge him or ignore him all they wanted, there was only one opinion Eren cared about at the moment and it drove him insane wondering why. He really needed to sort through his jumbled thoughts and his messy feelings.  
He needed to be alone, but that was kind of hard to achieve when he was at an amusement park surrounded by people. Luckily for Eren he found a place to take refuge. There was a small shed with the words “employees only” written on the door. It didn’t look like there was anyone around there so he made his way to the back of the building. He leaned up against the wall and took in huge gulps of air, trying to catch his breath. He let himself slide down onto the ground, pulled his knees close to his chest, and put his head down.  
“I can’t believe this is happening.” He grumbled.  
All of this because of that stupid dream. He hugged his knees even tighter as he was hit with a memory. The first time he’d been “introduced” to Levi four years ago.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Mikasa sat at her desk typing away at her laptop. Eren was laying flat on his stomach across her bed, his history book opened in front of him. To his right Armin sat against the bed writing in his notebook.  
“This chapter is so boring and taking notes is pointless because everything I write never makes it onto the test.” Eren complained.  
“I’m sure something you write will be on the test.” Armin answered without looking up from his notes.  
Eren groaned and shut his textbook. It didn’t matter what was on the test or not, he was done for the day and wanted to do something fun. He thought about taking his flute out and practicing, but he didn’t know how Armin and Mikasa would feel about the noise while they tried to study. He could always go home, but he already promised Mikasa he’d stay for dinner along with Armin. What kind of friend would he be if he bailed just because he was bored of studying? He slid off the bed, rumpling the pink comforter and knocking over Mikasa’s ninja teddy in the process. He walked up behind her and leaned into her chair.  
“Hey! You’re not studying!” Eren shouted as he got a good look at her screen.  
This whole time he thought she was going over her biology power point, but it turned out she was writing an email to someone named “Captain_Levi”. Forget history and the Great Depression, this seemed more interesting.  
“Who are you writing to miss ‘Ackerman104’? A secret boyfriend?” Eren asked teasingly.  
This got Armin to put his notebook down and join Eren at Mikasa’s computer.  
“Gross,” she replied, “Remember I told you I had a cousin studying in France?”  
Eren nodded his head. She had mentioned it about a week after they met. It was when they took their first best friend selfie together. She had told Eren she was going to send it to her cousin and asked if he was ok with that.  
“This is him.” She said.  
So this was the mysterious cousin that Mikasa often talked about. The same one who some of their upperclassmen and teachers still asked about. The one that Eren was intrigued by and admired for all his achievements and badassery. All he ever heard was “how’s that cousin of yours” or “my older cousin”. Now he could finally put a name to the legend.  
“Levi.” Eren said out loud.  
“Hey, you wanna see what he looks like?” Mikasa asked.  
“Yes!”  
Why not right? He was important to Mikasa and Eren really wanted to know what someone who could drop kick you into the next decade would look like. Mikasa clicked away on her laptop and pulled up a photo. It wasn’t what Eren was expecting.  
The man in the photo was shorter than Mikasa, the way his vest hugged him made him look lean, but his rolled up button down revealed strong looking forearms. His hair was jet black with an undercut and hung slightly in his eyes. He did have a scary expression on his face, but it seemed to fit his features. This was Levi.  
“Wow. Not what I was expecting.” Eren said.  
“Were you expecting him to look like an inmate?” Armin joked.  
“Kind of.” Eren said with a laugh.  
Mikasa chuckled.  
“He’s never been arrested, but he did get pretty close once. To be fair it was in self defense.” She said.  
Eren looked at the picture a little longer. Something flared in his chest, but he didn’t think much of it. It was probably just the excitement of finally getting to see what his idol looked like and Eren was not disappointed. Something about Levi pulled Eren in.  
‘You’re just a weird fanboy.’ He thought to himself.  
Mikasa closed down the photo and went back to her email.  
“Dinner should be soon. You both can head down stairs, I’ll be there in a moment.” She said.  
Eren was more than happy to be done with studying and get some food. He was pretty positive that the butterflies in his stomach were caused by his hunger.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Eren sighed heavily and leaned his head back against the wall of the little shed he was sitting against. He looked at the sky and noticed that one of the clouds looked like a heart. He snorted at that. It was like he was being written into a bad fanfic. He never mentioned it to anyone and he didn’t think much of it, but he did have dreams about Levi before. It started after Mikasa had shown him that photo. He’d dreamt of meeting him, dreamt of his face in the crowd during a performance, and one time he dreamt that Levi was his protector and keeper in some kind of sci fi war. He had always passed it off as his brain just needing a face and pulling Levi’s. He’d heard that humans were incapable of imagining faces they hadn’t seen already so it made sense. However, Eren’s dream from earlier didn’t feel like that was the case and it had been on his mind ever since he woke up. That never happened with any of his other dreams. Why was this one so different? He closed his eyes and thought hard about it. Everything was starting to make sense. The way he felt when he first saw that photo of Levi years ago, the admiration he always felt, the way seeing Levi in person made him feel, the way hanging onto Levi all day made him feel, the way Levi treated him made him feel, the dream, why he was so upset at the idea of Levi being in love, and the kiss.  
Eren put his head back down and tried to stifle his tears. Well this just wasn’t fair. He had a massive crush on Levi, had been crushing for years. Once he admitted that to himself he felt slightly embarrassed and angry. Tears began to fall from his eyes, he couldn’t stop them anymore. Was he really so dumb that he couldn’t figure out his own feelings? Why did it have to be someone that was taken? Eren contemplated staying where he was for a while longer, but knew that Mikasa and Levi were probably worried about him. Or at least he hoped Levi was worried about him and not waiting to punch him in the face.  
‘Ugh I owe him an explanation.’ He thought.  
As horrible as the experience would be Eren knew that he had to explain himself and come clean to Levi. He got up from the ground and brushed himself off. It took a moment of mental preparation, but soon Eren was walking back in the direction he came. He hoped his friends were still at the arcade. Would Levi even still want to be friends after what had happened? Eren was about to find out.


	19. Past and Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some backstory for Levi and a confession in present day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say that Farlan is fluent in English.

Levi promised Mikasa he would keep in touch with her and he meant it. He loved his cousin and was sad to leave her behind in the states, but going to France was something he had to do. Levi wanted to make his mother happy even if she wasn’t physically around anymore.  
Levi flipped open his laptop and logged into his personal email. He had a few unread messages, but he’d sort through them later. Right now he wanted to write his cousin and then meet up with Farlan, his roommate, at the university’s library. The two had a class together and agreed to help each other out with the work. They had a four page research paper to write and neither one was looking forward to it. Maybe Levi would take his time writing Mikasa back, just to put off his assignment a little longer. He clicked open her email and began reading. The conversation picked up where it left off.  
‘Farlan sounds like a decent enough guy. You shouldn’t be so closed off, try to make friends and don’t tell me I’m one to talk because I have made friends. Remember I told you about the incident during freshman prep days? The senior who kept hitting on me as I was trying to pick up my schedule and the guy who punched him for it? Well his name is Eren and we’ve actually gotten pretty close. We have a couple of classes together including lunch. He also introduced me to his friend from middle school, Armin. The three of us really clicked. Eren insisted we take a selfie together because we’re basically best friends now and I thought I’d share it with you. I have some stuff to take care of so I’m going to have to cut this email short. Write back soon!’  
Levi clicked the link to open the file Mikasa had sent him and was stunned by the image. In the photo was the most beautiful creature Levi had ever seen in his life. Messy brown hair, gorgeous tanned skin, plump lips, and the most hypnotic set of eyes on the face of the planet. Levi was struck by Eren’s big bright eyes. One was a deep green while the other was a pretty gold color. Levi couldn’t look away. The dormant heart in his chest lurched violently. He was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the sensations exploding throughout his body. His mind wasn’t cooperating, his heart felt like it had erupted, and his stomach was fluttering. Never had he felt anything so intense. Levi shot up from his seat and slammed his laptop shut. He didn’t want to think about what was happening. He couldn’t have fallen for someone who was just starting high school and on another continent. He especially couldn’t have fallen for someone through a photograph. Shit like that didn’t happen in real life and if it did, it didn’t happen to Levi. He’d had relationships, however few, and they didn’t last because love just wasn’t real for Levi. He’d had a few one night stands he wanted to pretend didn’t happen, and those definitely didn’t occur out of love. No, the only kind of love he knew was the familial and friendship kind and why was he even thinking about love in the first place? This feeling wasn’t love. He didn’t even know if he’d be returning to the states. To hell with love.  
Levi’s phone began buzzing thankfully pulling him from his confusing thoughts. The caller ID showed Farlan’s name. That’s right, he had a paper to write. What the hell was he doing just standing around in his room for? Levi sent a quick “on my way” text and gathered his things. He needed to be focusing on his school work right now and not some bright eyed kid in a photo. He practically jogged to the library, ready to be done with his emotions.  
It was easy to find Farlan and soon they were deep into their notes and sharing Farlan’s laptop screen. Levi had left his behind because reasons, but even with all the work in front of him it was difficult for Levi to focus. His mind kept drifting back to Eren’s beautiful face. More than once Farlan had to bring Levi’s attention back to their current reality.  
“What’s going on with you? The few weeks I’ve known you, you’ve never spaced out.” Farlan commented.  
“It’s nothing.” Levi replied.  
“Is that why you wrote the same sentence several times?”  
Levi looked at his handwritten rough draft in disbelief. He didn’t even want to look up and see the look on Farlan’s face. It was probably smug.  
“Look,” Farlan said, “you might not think it, but you can talk to me you know. I’d like us to be friends and friends help each other out.”  
Levi thought about it. Farlan was a pretty great guy and Mikasa was right, he shouldn’t be so closed off. Did he really want to talk about his emotions? Levi released a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his hair.  
“I...might be interested in someone.” He admitted both to himself and to Farlan.  
“That’s great!” Farlan exclaimed a little too loudly for a library.  
“I don’t know anything about him though. Just his name and the fact that he’s my cousin’s best friend, but I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. It’s too new and too sudden. I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus full of emotions and it’s confusing me. I don’t know what to think right now.”  
Farlan looked at Levi in shock. He obviously wasn’t expecting Levi to open up the way he did. Levi looked him straight in the eyes, waiting for some kind of response. He swore if Farlan laughed at his little crisis, he’d punch him so hard his IQ would drop. Farlan didn’t laugh though. Instead he rubbed at his chin, clearly thinking of the right words to say.  
“I can’t tell you if what you’re feeling is real or not,” Farlan began, “but I can tell you that part of growing as a person is experiencing new emotions. I say get to know the guy and see where this goes. Don’t think too hard on it, let your heart guide you. Who knows? It might be the real deal or the feeling might fade and you can get back to your normal self.”  
Levi folded his arms on the table and put his head down. Eren’s face was on the forefront of his mind. What was the harm in following Farlan’s advice? If anything, like Farlan said, the feeling might just fade. Maybe he should ask Mikasa what Eren was like.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Levi’s eyes searched the crowd. Where he was walking to he didn’t know, but he hoped to find Eren along the way. After Eren ran out of the arcade, Levi wasn’t sure if he should give him space or go running after him. Mikasa didn’t seem to know the answer either which was surprising to Levi, but she’d never had to deal with Eren in this kind of situation. After some debate Levi knew what he had to do. Mikasa had tried to tag along, reasoning that Levi would need help looking for Eren, but this was something Levi and Eren needed to settle themselves. It was difficult to know where Eren went, but Levi figured if he just kept going straight he might eventually bump into him. If that didn’t work Levi would ask every person in the park if they’d seen Eren if that’s what it took. He was about to approach a park janitor when he spotted him. Eren was walking in Levi’s direction, head down and arms wrapped tight around himself.  
“Eren!” Levi shouted.  
Eren’s head snapped up and Levi could see the fear in Eren’s eyes. He looked like he wanted to run again until a spark of determination flared in his eyes and he continued towards Levi. They ended up meeting each other half way.  
Up close Levi could see the redness of Eren’s eyes and the tear tracks on his cheeks. Even with his determined aura, he looked so vulnerable to Levi. For a moment neither one of them said anything to each other. Eren stared at the ground looking like he was trying to string his words together and Levi stared at Eren. Four years later and Levi still found him beautiful, still wanted to know all about him, and still felt something intense. Four years and the feeling never faded. If anything, it grew and matured. Screw waiting until the end of the day, after what happened in the arcade Levi knew he had to tell Eren exactly how he felt and he had to do it now.  
“Eren I-“  
“Levi I-“  
Both Levi and Eren spoke at the same time. It resulted in an awkward silence. Levi reached out and gently gripped Eren’s arm.  
“There’s something I really need to tell you.” He said.  
“Yeah, me too.” Eren replied.  
Levi nodded his head. He looked around them. This didn’t feel like something he should say in front of a bunch of random people.  
“I know a place we can talk.” Eren said as if reading Levi’s mind.  
He led Levi to the back of what appeared to be a janitors shed. It wasn’t the romantic setting Levi would have liked, but it did offer them some privacy. Eren slid down to the ground and Levi did the same. He’d worry about the dirt on his clothes later. They’d already been dirtied enough through out the day anyway.  
“Is this where you ran to?” Levi asked.  
“Yeah,” Eren answered, “found it by accident.”  
Eren turned so he was facing Levi and took a deep breath.  
“Can I go first?” Levi asked.  
Eren looked like he had something he really wanted to say, but Levi needed to get the truth out. Eren’s brows furrowed slightly and he chewed at his bottom lip. Slowly he nodded his head. Levi was allowed to speak first.  
“Eren. I love you.”


	20. Sappy Stuff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somehow I thought this chapter would be longer...

“Eren, I love you.”  
Somehow, Levi’s confession sounded like the loudest thing in the park. It managed to ring in Levi’s own ears as the weight of it settled between him and Eren. There was definitely no going back now.  
Levi watched Eren closely waiting for some kind of response. Eren’s eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. He blinked owlishly at Levi.  
“Huh?” Eren croaked out.  
“I love you.” Levi reiterated with all the sincerity he could muster.  
Eren leaned back against the wall. He seemed so lost at the moment, his wide eyes staring into space. Levi was actually concerned that he broke the poor guy.  
“Th-that doesn’t make any sense,” Eren mumbled, “you told me there’s someone you love already...you couldn’t stop thinking about them. Mikasa said you had it bad, Hanji teased you with marriage. T-that’s why I wanted to apologize for...for kissing you...”  
Eren turned his head away from Levi so that he couldn’t see his face. Levi leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. A long sigh escaped his lips.  
“That shit sounded romantic in my head, but now I realize it just fucked with your mind.” Levi said.  
“I’m sorry. I don’t understand.” Eren admitted as he continued to look away from Levi.  
“When I said I had someone I loved I was talking about you Eren. I’m sorry you thought I was talking about someone else.”  
“M-me?!”  
Eren whipped his head around so fast, Levi got whiplash. Eren’s mouth opened and closed as he searched for the words to say. Levi was patient with him. He knew he’d just dropped a bomb on Eren and that it was a lot to take in, especially since they’d only been in each other’s presence for about 8 hours now. Levi could admit it wasn’t exactly normal to tell someone you loved them after that short amount of time, not unless you were a character in a shoujo manga or romance novel, but it was how he felt and nothing could change that.  
“But you hardly know anything about me.” Eren practically whispered.  
“That’s not true.” Levi said.  
There was a mix of emotions in Eren’s eyes. Levi could see hope, fear, disbelief, and shock swirling in those beautiful orbs. As alluring as it was to see those eyes giving way to his soul, Levi wanted to put Eren’s mind at ease.  
“I know plenty about you,” Levi began, “like the fact that you would stand up for your friends in a heart beat, even if it means getting your ass kicked. I know you work hard for the things you want and you’re stubborn as hell sometimes. I know you have a big heart that you tend to wear on your sleeve. You’re loyal, enthusiastic, temperamental, insecure at times, and a fighter. I know you love the ocean, you love standing in the water and looking out at the horizon. You like rock music, your favorite color is blue, you like baking because it reminds you of your mom, you put the milk in before the cereal like a grade A weirdo-“  
“-it’s so the cereal doesn’t get soggy!”  
“It’s going to get soggy either way Brat. I know you sing in the shower, your favorite video game is Super Mario Kart, and I know that the time I’ve spent with you today has only made me fall for you even more than I thought possible and I need to ask you something.”  
Eren’s cheeks were pink as he stared at Levi with shock in his eyes.  
“How do you feel about me?” Levi asked.  
“I-“  
Eren started to answer, but then took to fiddling with the strings of his hoodie, his eyes down cast.  
“You don’t have to feel pressured into saying you feel something for me,” Levi assured, “but I’ve been getting all kinds of weird signals from you today and I wanted to know if-“  
“-I really like you Levi!” Eren interrupted.  
Now it was Levi’s turn to stare in shock. Eren had just shouted his feelings for Levi. It wasn’t all in his head anymore.  
“I mean-I guess I’ve always had a crush on you, but I passed it off as hero worship or something,” Eren explained, “I always wanted to know more about you and I always got this feeling. I didn’t realize it until I got to spend time with you today and I had that dream about you earlier and that kind of put things into perspective, but...but I don’t think I can say I love you...not yet anyway...”  
“You don’t have to love me right now Eren, but please give me a chance. Date me.” Levi said.  
It took a moment, but soon Eren’s blushing face broke into a genuine smile.  
“Yes! I’ll date you!” Eren replied.  
Levi released a breath he didn’t know he was holding just as he was tackled by Eren. The brunette was hugging Levi like his life depended on it. Levi wondered if this is what it felt like to win the lottery or experience magic. His heart felt like it was soaring in his chest. He’d never been so happy. Sudden realization hit him.  
“Wait, that dream you’ve been thinking about all day was about me?” Levi asked.  
Eren pulled away from Levi, his embarrassment clear to see.  
“Umm Yeah. I uh...I dreamt we were dating and then we kissed...it’s why I couldn’t stop myself in the arcade.” Eren said.  
“Oh? Was my kissing everything you dreamed of?” Levi asked with a smirk.  
Eren smacked him lightly on the arm before ducking down to hide his face in Levi’s bicep. He mumbled into the grey fabric of Levi’s coat.  
“It was better.”  
Levi chuckled at that. Eren straightened up to glare at him, but it looked more like a pout.  
“I can do you one better.” Levi said. He grabbed Eren by the collar and dragged him down, catching his unsuspecting lips in Levi’s own. Levi angled their heads for better access and deepened the kiss feeling Eren turn to putty in his hold. Levi briefly flicked his tongue for a quick taste inside of Eren’s mouth and then pulled away. Eren whimpered as Levi’s mouth left his and let his head fall onto Levi’s shoulder.  
“Good?” Levi asked.  
Eren nodded too blissed out to use his words. After a moment to pull himself together Eren straightened up again, a content smile on his face.  
“So I get to call you my boyfriend now?” Eren asked.  
“Of course.” Levi answered.  
“Do we get to do couple things?”  
“Couple things?”  
“You know, like holding hands, hugging, sharing food and drinks, being cute with each other, but annoying everyone around us.”  
“Eren, I’m pretty sure we’ve already done most of those things.”  
Eren laughed at Levi’s statement and it sounded beautiful. Levi was glad to see his brat being himself again. No more disappointment or angst. Just that smile that made Levi weak.  
Levi stood up and brushed the dirt off his clothes. He offered a hand to Eren and helped him up. Eren kept a hold on Levi’s hand, but that was to be expected given their new boyfriend status.  
“We should get back to Mikasa. She’s worried about you.” Levi said.  
Levi attempted to start walking toward the arcade, but Eren wasn’t moving. Levi looked back at him with a questioning gaze. Eren looked uncomfortable and slightly frightened.  
“I forgot about Mikasa,” Eren admitted, “I don’t know how she’s going to feel about us dating.”  
Levi tugged Eren’s hand and got them moving.  
“Trust me,” Levi said with a chuckle, “she won’t mind.”


	21. Insecurity and Dancing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren has some worries and they meet back up with Mikasa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! This chapter is crap. I don’t know why I couldn’t get anything written out properly. I tried so many times to write a good chapter, but this is all I could get out. I’m so sorry.

“Hey Levi?” Eren asked tentatively as they made their way back to the arcade, hand in hand.  
“Hm?” Levi hummed.  
“You’ll tell me if I’m messing this up right?”  
Levi looked at Eren. He was chewing nervously at his bottom lip and avoiding eye contact.  
“What do you mean?” Levi asked.  
“I mean...I’ve never been in a relationship before so I don’t really know what I’m doing...”  
Levi slowed them down to a complete stop. With how excited Eren was to get together he didn’t stop to think that he’d be feeling insecure about his first relationship. Levi wanted him to know that he had nothing to worry about.  
“Hey,” Levi said as he turned Eren’s face toward him, “just be yourself ok? If you want to hold my hand then hold it, if you want to hug me, go for it. Really I’m not expecting you to change or do anything drastic. I love you as you are.”  
Eren smiled a bit, but he still looked like there was something he wanted to ask.  
“Um...”  
“Yes Eren?”  
“I-I’ve never um...”  
Eren was fumbling with his words. Levi found it cute, but he had to wonder what had Eren so flustered. He thought they were past the awkward stage.  
“I...haven’t done any...intimate things...I’m sorry if I’m not any good and if my kissing was bad earlier, well you were my first kiss...” Eren whispered.  
Intimate things. Levi didn’t think this would come up in the first few minutes of their relationship. It made sense though. Not only was Eren insecure about never having been in a relationship, he was insecure about his lack of skills with “intimate things” as well. Although Levi had dreamt up a few steamy scenarios, stop judging him he’s only human, he’d never force Eren into something he wasn’t comfortable with.  
“Your kissing was great,” Levi started, “you want to know why? Because it was you I was kissing and it’ll be the same for whatever things we might do later on, but please don’t worry about it. I’m not going to make you move too fast, you can set the pace Eren. We can take things slow if you want.”  
Levi could see the tension bleed out of Eren as he nodded his head at Levi’s words. Those mismatched eyes held so much trust and admiration in them as they met Levi’s cold blue ones. Tip toeing just a bit, Levi gave Eren a gentle kiss to his cheek, the one without the smudged skull painting on it of course.  
“Come on, any longer and Mikasa might file a missing persons report or call in the military.” Levi deadpanned.  
The two continued on their way, Eren swinging their intertwined hands back and forth with a dopey smile on his face. Levi’s heart swelled at how happy Eren seemed. He couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face as he and the love of his life walked together as an actual couple. It felt amazing to know that Eren was his and he wasn’t just dreaming it. Mikasa deserved a fucking medal for this.  
Back at the arcade, Mikasa was no where to be seen near the hunting game they had started at. Given the fact that Pikachu was no longer sitting on the floor near the game, they figured she’d moved further back in the area. Incidentally, there was a commotion going on towards the back. People were cheering and loud music could be heard. Wait a minute, Levi knew that music. He knew it from the days of his childhood when his and Mikasa’s mother’s would take them to the mall every other weekend. He knew it from the tiny arcade room and the countless competitions they’d had with each other. Levi fucking knew it was Dance Dance Revolution!  
There was Mikasa, tearing it up at DDR and the nostalgia hit Levi like a ton of bricks. So did the need to wipe the floor with her, but she was currently facing off against a tall kid with dark hair and freckles on his face. He was pretty good, but Mikasa was better and the kid just couldn’t keep up.  
“Come on Marco! You can take her!” A tall girl with brown hair and freckles shouted.  
Levi noticed she was holding the Pikachu he’d won for Eren. He didn’t know who she was or why she had Eren’s Pikachu, but his competitive side wanted Mikasa to win and this girl was clearly with the enemy.  
“Kick his ass Mikasa! Make him and his little friend cry!” Levi added to the mix.  
The freckled girl gave him a challenging look. Mikasa nearly missed her step as she realized that he and Eren were back, but she quickly regained her composure and allowed her competitive side to get the best of her.  
“Show her and that shrimp what you’ve got!” Freckles shouted before shooting Levi a smirk.  
Did she just call him a shrimp?  
“Make these two wish they’d never been born!” Eren yelled aggressively from his spot next to Levi.  
Mikasa flawlessly executed the routine and left the Marco kid eating her dust. Eren and the crowd were going nuts. The two stepped off the game and shook hands. The tall freckled girl came over and patted her friend on the back.  
“What happened up there Marco?” She asked.  
“Sorry Ymir, I couldn’t keep up with her.” Marco responded.  
For some reason Levi knew that name. Where had he heard of Ymir before?  
“Did you say Ymir?” Eren asked.  
“Huh? Who’s asking?” Ymir asked in return, attitude dripping from her mouth.  
Levi was about to give attitude right back when Mikasa stepped in.  
“These are the friends I was telling you about,” she said before turning to Levi and Eren, “guys this is Historia’s girlfriend Ymir and their friend Marco.”  
Oh that’s right! Historia from the rock climbing wall said she had a girlfriend named Ymir. That’s why Levi knew that name.  
“Well if you’re Eren I guess this belongs to you.” Ymir said as she handed Eren his Pikachu back.  
“Thank you, my boyfriend won it for me.” He said in a dreamy tone with a smile, a blush, and a nod towards Levi.  
“How cute.” Marco commented.  
Mikasa’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head at Eren’s statement.  
“It was wonderful to meet you guys and it was fun to dance with you Mikasa, but Ymir and I should really be going now. Historia should be getting off her shift soon.” Marco said.  
The kid looked sincere as he apologized for the shortness of their meeting and for Ymir’s earlier shrimp comment before they left. Levi had a feeling he’d be seeing both of them again soon, especially if Historia was still up for that double date.  
The crowd that surrounded the game had dispersed long before Marco and Ymir took their leave. As soon as those two were gone Mikasa pounced on Eren. She attempted to squish him in a hug, but his giant Pikachu got in the way. She still managed to get her arms awkwardly wrapped around his neck before letting go and turning her attention to Levi. She grabbed his hands in that classic Mikasa way of hers.  
“Tell me everything!” She demanded.  
“I found the brat, we talked, and now we’re together.” Levi said.  
Mikasa dropped his hands with an unimpressed look.  
“Really Levi?” She asked in exasperation.  
“What? That’s all that happened. Unless you want to know the details of how we kissed after, I didn’t know you were into that kind of stuff.”  
That earned Levi a slap to the arm and a roll of the eyes, but it got a laugh out of Eren so he didn’t mind. Mikasa’s irritated look did eventually give way to a genuine smile.  
“I’m happy for you guys.” She said.  
“So you’re really ok with it?” Eren asked.  
“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”  
“I don’t know. Because he’s your cousin and I’m your best friend?”  
“If you make each other happy why would that matter?”  
“Thanks Mikasa.”  
Eren put his Pikachu down to give Mikasa a proper hug this time. Levi smiled at their interaction. It was sweet and he could see how much they cared for and loved each other. He couldn’t be more grateful that Eren had fallen into both of their lives. As warm and fuzzy as the moment was, there was something Levi wanted to do.  
“Hey Mikasa, you think you can keep up with me at DDR?” Levi asked with smugness in his voice.  
The look Mikasa gave him said it all. Eren shot his arm up into the air.  
“I play the winner!” He announced.  
It was so on.


	22. Fancy Feet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi vs Mikasa who will win? Eren plays the winner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg after the trouble I had writing the last chapter, in surprise how easily this one came to me! Few things you should know first  
> -I know nothing about Dance Dance Revolution so I’m sorry about the offensively bad game play  
> -I had problems with Levi and Mikasa’s age difference, but given that he’s just finished college and Mikasa finished HS I think 3-4 years is good  
> -I don’t think Mikasa’s mom has a canon name? I’m calling her Hikaru.

Left  
Back  
Right  
Combo  
Forward  
Combo  
The music was fast paced, but the footwork came naturally. Levi was reliving his childhood and it was glorious. Next to him Mikasa was keeping up with every beat and step the game could throw at them. It was almost like they were kids again. Levi was 11 and Mikasa was 7 and their mother’s had dropped them off in the arcade room of the mall. Levi was left in charge and had his mother’s phone to call Hikaru’s cell in case of an emergency. The two little Ackerman’s would patiently wait for their turn at their favorite game, DDR. Once their turn came around the competition would begin.   
As fun as it was to be dancing against Mikasa again a part of Levi’s chest ached. It ached for his childhood and his mother. He wanted to walk out of the arcade and see his mother making her way over to him and Mikasa. He wanted so badly for her to ask if he’d had fun and if they were up for pizza and a movie back at home. He really wanted his mother back and a hole opened up in his chest, but then he heard Eren’s voice all excited and boisterous yelling that Levi was amazing and that he’d win for sure (no offense Mikasa). It stopped the hole from opening any further and it reminded him that he still had someone he could live for in the present.   
The next level was loading and Levi stripped of his jacket. He casually tossed it towards Eren who caught it without a problem.   
“Hang on to that for me.” Levi said as he rolled up his sleeves.  
Next to him Mikasa was hopping from foot to foot, clearly ready to go. Her little purse was sitting on the floor next to the machine. Levi shook his legs out in preparation for the increase in difficulty.   
“I’m surprised you can still move so fast old man.” Mikasa teased.  
Trash talk was always a part of the game for them.  
“You talk big for a shitty brat.” Levi replied.  
The music started up again and the screen was flashing multi colors. The intensity of the music had picked up and therefore so had the steps in the routine. People were starting to gather around them the same way they had gathered around Mikasa and Marco not too long ago. Levi paid them no mind. The only support he needed was already next to him, bouncing up and down with that damn pikachu he seemed to love so much. The corners of Levi’s lips turned upward as he caught site of Eren in his peripherals.   
Combo   
Left  
Back  
Forward  
Back  
Combo  
The game was exhilarating. Levi could feel the sweat forming on his forehead and his breathing picking up its pace. It was nothing he couldn’t handle of course. He’d been through exercise routines a lot more taxing than this. He could go all night.   
Mikasa was keeping up perfectly. Levi was amazed she could move so freely in her skirt. Though it was a loose one and it wasn’t long enough to trip over. Levi didn’t see the game coming to an end anytime soon, but he really wanted to see what Eren could do. It didn’t matter if Eren went up against him or Mikasa, he just wanted to know if the brunette was any good. Of course it would be fun to challenge his boyfriend. He loved Eren, but he was fairly certain he could take him. Perhaps he was being overly confident and maybe a bit cocky, but this was Levi’s game.   
Two more rounds and both Ackerman’s were still going strong. Levi swore he heard someone in the crowd put money on Mikasa. He also swore he heard someone say something about his cousin being hotter than hell and he almost lost his focus to find the little punk in dare him to say that again. He shook his head, he needed to control his protective side.   
Forward  
Combo  
Combo  
Combo  
Left  
Back  
Combo  
The game was getting into those insane levels you see YouTube videos about. The music was energetic and people were jumping around like they were at a party or something. Eren was also hyped and would randomly yell different words of encouragement.  
“Keep it up Levi! Show Mikasa who’s boss!” Eren shouted.  
Mikasa spared a brief glance of betrayal towards Eren before flawlessly nailing a combo move. Levi had the feeling that Eren wanted him to win so that he could challenge Levi himself. Either that or he didn’t want to upset his new boyfriend by cheering for the enemy.   
Another round later and it finally happened. Mikasa tripped up during a combo and had a problem getting her footing back. It was a small slip up, but it was just enough to cost her. As the music ended Levi came out on top as a result of her unfortunate fumble. She glared at the screen in irritation as Levi hoped off the dance pad. The crowd was cheering for him, Eren being the loudest. Mikasa soon stepped down as well and stuck her fist out in front of her. For a moment she was 7 year old Mikasa again waiting for a fist bump. Levi stuck his own fist out and met hers.   
“Not bad.” He said to her.  
“Thanks,” Mikasa replied, “and thanks for betraying me Eren.”  
Mikasa shot Eren a playful glare. He only laughed and hid his face behind his pikachu.  
“I believe you wanted to play the winner.” Levi said.  
Eren nodded his head enthusiastically, a huge smile on his face. He quickly shoved his pikachu and Levi’s coat into Mikasa’s arms and took his place in front of the game.  
“Get ready to lose Brat.” Levi said as the game started up.  
“You get ready to lose,” Eren retorted, “I have the advantage here.”  
“Oh?”  
“You just played multiple rounds. You’re going to get tired a lot faster than I am.”  
The familiar beat dropped and the arrows began directing them on the screen. The colors flashed at them as the music pounded away. Both Levi and Eren managed the footwork effortlessly. This was the first round however so it was easy by default. Levi couldn’t wait to see how Eren would do when the levels got harder.   
Right   
Back  
Right  
Combo  
Levi was having the time of his life and he could tell Eren was too. He was surprised at how good Eren turned out to be. It was cute how intensely he was concentrating on the game, but between rounds he’d trash talk Levi and grace his ears with that melodic laugh of his. Levi of course offered up some trash talk of his own and that only made Eren laugh more. He really enjoyed going back and forth with Eren, the brat was pretty witty.  
“I hope you have your life alert because you’re going down so bad you won’t be able to get back up.” Eren said as they waited for the next round to start.  
“Your insults are as bad as your footwork.” Levi replied.  
He could hear Mikasa laughing in the crowd. Eren giggled before he was all seriousness again. The music was getting faster once more. Eren was keeping up with Levi until his shoe lace decided it wanted to attempt murder. It happened so fast it took Levi a moment to register the situation, but when he did the game was the last thing on his mind.  
“Eren!” Mikasa yelled as she ran to his side.  
Eren was on the floor next to the game, curled in on himself. Dread filled Levi’s being. He didn’t know if Eren hit his head when he fell or not. Levi was by his side in an instant asking if he was ok. He could hear people in the crowd asking the same and sent them a look that had everyone backing away. Mikasa had helped Eren into a sitting position and thank goodness it didn’t seem like he’d hurt his head after all. Levi was quick to notice Eren was clutching his left wrist to himself and that under his embarrassed smile he was in pain.  
“Hey, let me see that.” Levi said as he gently pulled Eren’s wrist toward him.  
Eren hissed in pain.  
“Fuck, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Levi apologized.  
“It’s ok.” Eren said quietly.  
“It doesn’t look too bad, can you move it at all?”  
Eren attempted to move his wrist back and forth. He could manage it, but the look on his face screamed that it hurt him to do so.  
“I don’t think it’s broken, but I’m not a doctor. We should probably check in at a medical tent.” Levi said.  
Mikasa grabbed her purse and immediately pulled out the map of the park.  
“I’ll locate one.” She said.  
Levi helped Eren up off the floor and took pikachu from Mikasa’s side so she could check the map more easily.   
“I’m sorry for ruining the fun.” Eren said as he stared at the floor.  
Levi grabbed Eren’s good hand and placed a kiss to his knuckles. Eren looked up at him as his lips made contact with his skin. There were tears in his eyes, probably from the pain he was in.   
“You’ve got nothing to apologize for.” Levi said.  
“I found the medical tent!” Mikasa exclaimed.  
She showed the map to Levi and pointed at a spot not far from where they were. Mikasa led the way as Levi walked together with Eren behind her. He stood on Eren’s right side so he could hold his hand and not hurt him as they walked. In his free arm Levi held onto pikachu for him. Levi didn’t think their game would end with an injury and he had no idea what this meant for the rest of their day. Hopefully Eren was still up for a few more hours at the park.


	23. Pain in the Wrist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren gets medical attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not a doctor. Keep that in mind. :)

Eren’s wrist looked awful. It had swollen up and turned a grotesque mix of purple and black. Levi couldn’t stand the sight of it, not because he was squeamish, but because he knew it was causing Eren pain. The brunette beauty had a scrunched up expression on his face and Levi could feel and see his hands trembling.  
“You doing ok?” Levi asked though he already knew the answer to that question.  
“Mhm, it’s not that bad.” Eren lied.  
“Really? Your face says otherwise or maybe you’re just constipated.”  
Eren squeaked at that comment, his face red with embarrassment.  
“Levi!” He whined.  
“What? One time Erwin ate some bad yogurt and he wore that expression too.”  
“Oh my god Levi, I don’t want to hear about that.”  
Eren pulled his hand free of Levi’s and playfully slapped him on the shoulder, a laugh escaping his lips. Score. He’d gotten Eren to laugh and momentarily forget his pain.  
“He was like that for days. I had to buy him a laxative and then he had a whole new problem to deal with.” Levi continued.  
“Levi stop! That’s so disgusting!” Eren said as he continued to laugh.  
Levi noticed Mikasa’s shoulders shaking slightly as they walked behind her. It was a sign she was laughing too, which was good because he knew she was just as worried as he was.  
“You don’t know what disgusting is until you’ve given someone a heavy duty laxative.” Levi retorted.  
Eren’s laughter intensified at Levi’s comment. Levi couldn’t believe he found his shitty humor that hilarious. He was fully ready to keep up the joke, but the medical tent soon came into view.  
It wasn’t a tent exactly, it was an area covered by multiple blue awnings set up in front of a trailer with the words “Medical staff” on the door. Given that they were closer to the entrance of the park there was another big trailer right next to it that read “Human Resources”. Levi could see multiple paramedics walking around the area, some sitting at their table set ups, some going in and out of the trailer, and some working with patients. As they approached the nearest empty table Levi over heard one of the paramedics instructing their patient to drink plenty of water and stay off any fast moving rides until their stomach settled.  
Sitting at the available table was a woman with short platinum blonde hair and glasses. She appeared to be going over the stock in her first aid kit when they approached her.  
“Excuse me, but my friend is hurt.” Mikasa said.  
The woman snapped to attention and jumped out of her seat. She extended a hand to Mikasa.  
“Name’s Rico. Who here is hurt?” She asked in a serious tone.  
Rico looked over Levi and Eren, her eyes landing on Eren’s wrist. As serious as she started out, her eyes softened at the sight of the injury and the sad look on Eren’s face.  
“Why don’t you sit down and I can take a proper look at that?” She said as she pulled out a chair at her table.  
Eren took a seat. Mikasa stood behind him while Levi stood to his right. He wanted to put his hand on Eren’s back in a comforting jester, but his back pack was in the way. Instead he settled for Eren’s shoulder.  
“What’s your name son?” Rico asked.  
“Eren.”  
“That’s nice, do you mind telling me what happened?”  
“Oh I was uh...I was playing DDR and I tripped on my shoe lace.”  
Rico quickly took note of Eren’s embarrassment.  
“It happens to the best of us,” she said, “I once tripped running a marathon in front of everyone. Can you tell me how you landed?”  
“I tried to catch myself, but I wasn’t completely ready. I landed on my hand really hard and it kind of snapped backwards too much.”  
Levi winced at the thought of his hand snapping backward. He hoped he was right about Eren’s wrist not being broken. He reminded himself that Eren could still move it around, though when he did the motion was limited.  
“This might be uncomfortable, but I’d like to feel your wrist just a bit.” Rico said as they reached for Eren’s injured wrist.  
Eren stretched his arm out for Rico to grab ahold of. Levi could feel his tension as he braced himself for more pain. Levi squeezed at Eren’s shoulder as a way to offer his support.  
Eren cried out the moment Rico touched his injury. He quickly pulled his arm back to himself, probably on instinct, and was shielding it with his other hand.  
“I’m sorry, but I just need to make sure nothing is out of place.” Rico said as soothingly as she could.  
“No, I’m sorry,” Eren apologized, “it just really hurts when you poke it like that.”  
Levi felt awful. He understood the necessity of Rico’s exam, he just wished it didn’t have to hurt so much. Eren looked deflated and it didn’t suit him one bit. As Eren reluctantly stretched his arm back out Levi knew what he should do.  
“I didn’t finish telling you about Erwin’s issues.” He said.  
Eren whipped his head around to look at him. He was wincing and his right hand was gripping the bottom of his chair so tightly his knuckles were turning white. He made a face at Levi.  
“I’m really not interested in how the story ends.” Eren said.  
“Why not? It’s quite riveting. His bowels were messed up for days.”  
“Gross. That’s too much information. You’re probably telling me something he wanted to keep a secret.”  
“Nah Eyebrows deserves it.”  
“You call him eyebrows?”  
“Eyebrows or shitty eyebrows. Depends on my mood. Have you seen those things? It’s like Chewbacca decided to hang out on his face.”  
Eren busted out laughing, his free hand flying up to cover his mouth. Levi smiled at the sight. Mikasa gave Levi a smile and a thankful nod. She new he was trying to distract Eren from his discomfort and it had worked, but Rico wasn’t completely done yet.  
“Sorry to interrupt your riveting story, but I need to ask you to do a few things for me.” She said with an apologetic smile.  
“Ok.” Eren answered.  
“I want you to try to move your wrist back and forth, side to side, and in a circle.”  
As Rico spoke she mimicked the actions for Eren to see. He nodded his head and began to try the movements himself. Levi squeezed and rubbed at Eren’s shoulder as he followed Rico’s instructions. Eren moved his wrist back and forth, but it was obvious it caused him a lot of pain. The motion itself was pretty limited compared to what it should have been. When he moved his wrist side to side the results were the same. Maximum effort with limited motion. Eren then tried to move his wrist in a circle and squeaked in pain. That was a no go.  
“Well it doesn’t appear to be broken, but you have a pretty nasty sprain. Considering you can move your wrist at all, I would say the ligament isn’t torn completely.” Rico deduced.  
“So what now?” Mikasa asked from her place behind Eren.  
“Well I would recommend getting an X-ray to determine the severity of the tear in the ligament, but for now I can wrap it up and offer a cold compress. After that try not to jostled it too much and keep it elevated.” Rico answered.  
Eren nodded his head and Rico began to wrap him up. She was meticulous with her wrapping and Levi appreciated it. He didn’t want someone doing a crap job on Eren. Once that was done, Rico went and grabbed Eren a frozen cold compress.  
“Alright you’re free to go. Just remember what I said.” Rico stated.  
“Thank you for helping me.” Eren replied.  
“You’re welcome, it’s what I’m here for. Oh and one more thing, you might want to have that boyfriend of yours tie your shoes so you don’t end up here again.”  
Rico smiled at Eren and waved at the three of them before taking her kit and disappearing into the medical staff trailer. Eren was lookin down at his shoes like he wanted revenge on them and he probably did. Levi handed Pikachu off to Mikasa and got down in front of Eren. He needed both arms free to properly fix Eren’s laces.  
“Thanks.” Eren said.  
“I really don’t want you tripping again and smashing that pretty face in.” Levi stated.  
He didn’t need to look up to know that Eren was probably blushing. He pulled the laces into a sturdy double knot and made sure both shoes were up to par. He meant what he said about Eren’s pretty face and he really didn’t want him to injure himself any further.  
“What do we do now?” Mikasa asked.  
Levi brushed the dirt off his knees and looked to Eren.  
“It’s up to you.” Levi said.  
“I don’t really know. What can I do? I’m too busy holding an ice pack and trying not to irritate my wrist.”  
Eren’s tone had turned bitter. Levi suspected it was because he knew they would end up leaving the park and he felt guilty about ruining everyone’s day. It went without saying that if Eren had to sit out then Levi and Mikasa would sit out too. It wouldn’t be fair for them to continue having fun while Eren nursed an injury. Levi wasn’t mad about the situation and he knew Mikasa wasn’t either, but Eren wouldn’t be completely happy until that point was proven. Then it occurred to Levi that they didn’t have to leave right that second. There was one more thing they could still do.  
“You know Brat, we haven’t had our cliche Ferris wheel moment yet.” Levi said.  
Eren’s eyes lit up like gold and green fireworks.


	24. Ferris wheel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things don’t go the way Levi expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know what time it’s supposed to be for them.

It was done, shattered, over. Eren was looking at Levi with the saddest, sorriest eyes he’d ever seen.  
“I’m so sorry!” He shrieked.  
Levi realized Eren was actually crying now. The tears were streaming down his face as he babbled incoherently.  
“Eren, stop.” Levi demanded.  
He couldn’t take anymore of it.  
This definitely wasn’t how their ferris wheel moment was supposed to go. It was supposed to be sweet and sappy with a beautiful view of the park, the evening sky, and topped off with a kiss like they do in the movies. That’s not what Levi got.  
When they’d approached the ride, Eren was buzzing with excitement. Levi was glad that they could at least do one more thing together before calling it a day. Eren was still holding the cold compress to his injured wrist and Levi knew it needed to get looked at sooner rather than later. Rico had done an outstanding job with it, but she did suggest getting an X-ray and Levi wanted to take Eren to get one done. He just didn’t want to risk Eren’s ligament being torn more than they thought it was. If that was the case, he may need surgery on it and ignoring something like that would only lead to problems down the road. He really didn’t want Eren having problems in life because of Levi’s need to kick ass at DDR. Of course he knew it wasn’t really his fault that Eren tripped, but that didn’t stop the feeling of guilt that sat nestled in his chest.  
“Levi?”  
Levi pulled his eyes away from Eren’s wrist and looked up to see gold and green irises looking back at him. They were filled with confusion and concern.  
“Are you ok? You look like you might kill someone.” Eren said.  
“I’m fine. I’m just worried about you. How’s it feeling?”  
Levi tilted his head in the direction of Eren’s injured wrist. The brunette gave him a reassuring smile.  
“The ice is helping. It doesn’t hurt as much anymore.”  
“That’s good, but I’m worried about the severity of it. We really should get you X-rayed once we leave.” Levi stated.  
“Yeah...I guess. I don’t know how to explain to my dad why I’m coming home with a sprained wrist. He trusted Mikasa to take care of me today.” Eren said with playfulness in his tone.  
“You’ll also have to explain why you’re coming home with a boyfriend when you didn’t have one this morning.” Mikasa stated flat out.  
Levi and Eren whipped their heads in her direction. Her expression was her usual default one and she shrugged her shoulders in a nonchalant manner.  
“It just occurred to me.” She said.  
Levi looked back at Eren who was still staring at Mikasa, his eyes wide. If he had to guess, he’d say Eren didn’t know how to explain them to his father. It honestly didn’t occur to Levi that Eren would have to tell his family. Hell, Levi didn’t even think about explaining it to his own family, though he suspected Mikasa might have mentioned his crush on Eren beforehand.  
Now Levi had to wonder what Eren would be walking into when he got home. How would it look for Eren to suddenly announce he was seeing a guy he’d technically just met? Would his father even accept Eren’s sexuality? It seemed like Eren was wondering the same thing if the way he was chewing his lower lip was anything to go by. An ugly feeling was beginning to grow inside of Levi. What if they had to keep their relationship a secret? What if Eren decided it was better to call the whole thing off?  
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Mikasa said as she took note of their worried faces, “your dad is pretty open minded and you weren’t exactly subtle with your fascination for Levi.”  
Eren looked shocked at Mikasa’s words. Embarrassment quickly overtook his features.  
“W-what do mean?” He asked.  
“I mean you always asked about him and dragged the conversation on when he was the subject.”  
Mikasa chuckled. She looked back and forth between Eren and Levi. A smile formed on her lips.  
“You two are alike in that aspect.” She said.  
Levi rolled his eyes. He knew she was referring to the conversation they’d had in the car that morning. He also knew she’d hold that fact over his head for the rest of his life, but then again subtly wasn’t exactly his forte.  
Mikasa’s teasing seemed to diffuse the tense atmosphere. Levi knew Eren would still worry about his father’s reaction, but Mikasa’s words eased his anxiety. The three of them took their place in line for the Ferris wheel and soon moved on to other topics of discussion. The line was surprisingly long for the time of day it was. Levi thought people would want to wait until the sun had gone down completely and the park was lit up against the night’s inky backdrop. That would be a sight for sore eyes. Though Levi had to admit that the view wasn’t half bad at the moment. It was getting late in the day and the sun was beginning to lower and cast a warm orange and pink color across the sky. It bathed everyone in that evening glow he couldn’t quite describe and was very pretty to look at. Levi was glad it wasn’t summer yet because if it was, they’d still be showered in an unrelenting sun light that would leave them burning where they stood.  
The ride itself was huge and had multi colored lights flashing around the structure. The seats were your typical Ferris wheel seats, two people to each. The wheel would turn continuously twice around before stopping randomly for prolonged amounts of time until it made it around a third time. Then it was a matter of stopping to let people on and to let people off.  
“I can’t wait to see everything from the top.” Eren said as he looked up in awe.  
Levi wanted to see the view as well, but he wanted to see Eren’s reaction to it even more. He wanted to see those eyes shine like stars as they marveled at the world, and he wanted to see Eren’s winning smile. Luckily it wouldn’t be much longer because the line seemed to dwindle in the blink of an eye. The trio continued to get closer to their final ride of the day.  
“Hey, I can sit next to you if you want.” Some random teenager told Mikasa from behind.  
She turned to look him dead in the eyes.  
“No thanks. I already have a partner.” She said as she held Pikachu out towards the kid.  
She turned around without a second thought and Levi could hear the guy’s friends laughing at his failure to land the girl. Eren was laughing as well, but he was probably laughing at the fact that Mikasa was going to be taking Pikachu along on the Ferris wheel.  
“Alright you two can get on.” The ride operator informed them.  
Eren took his seat first and Levi settled in after him. After checking to make sure they were secure, the operator got the ride moving, if only enough to get the next pair seated. The next pair being Mikasa and Pikachu who she strapped into the seat next to her.  
As the ride fully began to move Levi reached out to take Eren’s hand, but soon realized he was sitting on the wrong side of him. He was on Eren’s left which was the side with his injured wrist and Levi didn’t want to aggravate it. Now that he thought about it, even if he did sit on Eren’s right side he still wouldn’t be able to hold his hand because he was too busy holding the cold compress with it. Levi’s hand hovered above Eren’s before he awkwardly retracted it and dropped it at his side. Eren noticed the movement and gave an apologetic smile.  
“Sorry my hands are a little occupied at the moment.” He said with chuckle.  
“It’s fine. That would have been way too cheesy anyway.” Levi joked.  
“Aw, but I love cheese.”  
“I’m sure you do. I wonder if Mikasa is holding hands with Pikachu. Their chemistry is electric.”  
Eren cracked up at Levi’s lame ass joke. It made his heart warm as he was blessed with that beautiful sound. Eren was laughing so hard he started to wheeze and tears rolled down his face. As he tried to regain his composure he made a loud snorting sound and quickly looked away in embarrassment. Levi thought it was adorable.  
“You ok over there?” He asked teasingly.  
“Shut up.” Eren said with one last huff of laughter.  
They were nearing the top of the wheel, but they hadn’t gotten there just yet. They were stopped at what Levi considered to be the midway point. Even from their spot the view was still spectacular. He was going to comment on it when he noticed Eren was digging around in his bag, his ice pack in his lap.  
“What are you looking for?” Levi questioned.  
“My phone. I just realized this place is probably filled with Poké stops and I need to get them!”  
Ah yes. Levi had heard something about a Pokémon game some time ago. It was a big deal among fans.  
“Really Eren? You’re worried about a silly game right now?” Levi asked.  
“It’s not silly,” Eren defended, “and I just want to get at least one stop. Then it’s back to the romance, I swear.”  
“Oh yeah, your snort was super romantic.”  
Eren shot Levi a look that was a mix between a pout and a glare. Levi only smiled in return. He really wasn’t bothered by Eren’s need to play his game, it was just fun to tease him at times. Finally Eren pulled a phone from the bag, but it was the wrong one.  
“Oh this is yours.” Eren said as he looked the phone over.  
He went to put it back in the bag, but something happened with Eren’s hand. Levi watched as he lost his hold on the phone and then fumbled to get a grip on it, but it didn’t work. Both boys watched as the phone plummeted towards the ground where it eventually landed. Eren gasped loudly next to Levi. They both knew the phone was ruined as they turned to look at each other. It was done, shattered, over. Eren was looking at Levi with the saddest, sorriest eyes he’d ever seen.  
“I’m so sorry!” He shrieked.  
Levi realized Eren was actually crying now. The tears were streaming down his face as he babbled incoherently.  
“Eren, stop.” Levi demanded.  
He couldn’t take anymore of it. He couldn’t stand to see Eren so distressed.  
“I-I’m so sorry I ruined y-your phone, I’m sorry! D-don’t hate me please!” Eren begged.  
Levi looked at him in disbelief before bringing a hand up to wipe away his tears.  
“Why would I hate you?”  
“I-I broke your phone. That’s hundreds of dollars and all your p-personal stuff.”  
“It’s ok Eren. It was an accident. I was due for an upgrade anyway and I have everything backed up to my laptop.”  
Eren sniffled. He still looked frightened, sad, and guilty so Levi continued to rub his thumb over his cheek.  
“So-so you don’t want to break up with me?” Eren asked.  
“Of course not.”  
“But don’t people break up over things like this?”  
Levi brought his other hand up to cup Eren’s face.  
“If people end relationships over something like this then they’re shallow and materialistic. I’m not going to end something that’s just begun over an accident and I certainly don’t hate you for it. Ok?”  
Levi kept his voice firm to get the point across, but also gentle so that Eren wouldn’t think he was angry. Sure, he was a bit disappointed that his phone had met its demise, but it was like he said. He could get an upgrade and everything personal was on his laptop as well. Eren had calmed down and nodded his head at Levi’s words. Levi realized that they’d been moving as they spoke and had come to another stop.  
“Look,” Levi said as he turned his head, “we made it to the top.”  
He let go off Eren’s face so that he could look out over the park. Although his eyes were still red from crying they managed to brighten at the sight before him. Levi watched as Eren took in the view. He knew he’d love it. Levi tapped Eren on the shoulder to regain his attention. As soon as those beautiful eyes were on him Levi leaned forward and captured Eren’s lips in his own. Now that was how you did a Ferris wheel moment.


	25. Leaving the park, Meeting the father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio heads to Dr. Jaeger’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They’re leaving the park!! I’m not entirely happy with the way this chapter turned out though. Also, I looked up the German word for clinic in google translate so sorry if it’s wrong.

Levi walked over to where his phone laid smashed on the ground. Eren and Mikasa were close behind him, one filled with curiosity and the other filled with guilt. It was astounding the amount of damage the fall did to his device. The screen was in pieces and scattered around, the sleek black case looked like a jigsaw puzzle, and there were chips in the edges of the phone. Levi briefly wondered if a better phone case could have lessened the damage and decided he’d be getting the sturdiest one he could find for his new phone. It didn’t matter how big and bulky it made it.  
“Eren, tell me that’s not yours.” Mikasa said as she surveyed the scene.  
“It’s not.” Eren responded.  
“Good. Your dad would’ve been angry if you’d destroyed another phone this year.”  
Apparently Eren was a bit of a butter fingers. Levi would definitely be getting that heavy duty case then.   
Mikasa seemed to put two and two together as she looked at Levi who was picking up the broken device.  
“You dropped your phone off the Ferris wheel?” She asked in mild shock.  
“Not exactly.” Levi answered.  
Mikasa opened her mouth to question him further, but he quickly cut her off.  
“It doesn’t matter. Besides now I have an excuse to get the newest model.”   
He pocketed the mess of a phone and turned to Eren, ready to change the subject. He knew Eren was still going to feel guilty over the incident and he didn’t want that to ruin the last bit of their day. Besides, Levi had a more important issue to address.  
“We should probably get you to an ER and have your wrist X-rayed.” He said.  
“We can go to his dad’s clinic. I’m sure he’ll take care of Eren.” Mikasa suggested.  
Levi nodded his head at that. It seemed like a good deal. He didn’t think Eren’s father would charge his son and an emergency room would probably cost more than Eren had in his bank account. Eren seemed reluctant, but Levi didn’t comment on it. He had a feeling he knew what it was about. Instead he put his hand on the small of Eren’s back and began guiding him away from the ride and out of the park. Mikasa quickly followed.  
It felt strange to Levi knowing that they were actually leaving and the day was ending. The hours he’d spent there were somewhat surreal. He’d let loose and had a good time with his cousin, like he was a kid again. It had been a long while since he’d done anything like that. Levi could be described as serious and reserved with his emotions, but not today. Today he’d sat through a kiddy show, ran around a dinosaur themed park, ate junk food galore, got carried away with the bumper cars, annihilated at DDR, and so many other things he wouldn’t usually do. He felt elated. Then there was Eren. What a whirlwind of a day the brunette had made it. Levi never expected to finally come face to face with Eren Jaeger, his long time crush and the love of his life. On top of that, he never expected to be able to call Eren his after their day together. It was almost too much for Levi to take in. Almost.  
Call him a helpless romantic or call him a total sap, but Levi now felt sentimental for the amusement park. It was the place he’d “met” Eren, they’d gotten together, and shared their first kiss. It would be a special pace for him, for them, and you better believe he’d mark this day down and never forget their anniversary, if they made it to one. Levi prayed they made it to at least one.   
They exited the front gates and left the park behind them. Levi spared a glance over his shoulder and smiled to himself. His hand never left Eren’s back and Eren didn’t seem to mind at all. They walked through the parking lot and only got a little bit lost as they tried to remember where Mikasa had parked. Once her car came into view they practically jogged over to it, happy that they weren’t stuck wondering the parking lot any longer.  
Levi walked over and opened the door on the driver’s side for Eren, Mikasa took her respective place in the driver seat, and Levi walked around the car to slide into the back with Eren.  
“You’re not riding shot gun?” Eren asked.  
“I thought I’d keep you company.”  
Eren smiled at him and soon they were pulling out of the parking lot and on the road. Levi took Eren’s bag from him and adjusted it in the middle seat. He opened it up and took out Eren’s phone, the lock screen popped up. It was a photo of the ocean.  
“What’s your passcode?” Levi asked.  
Eren, who had been staring out the window, turned to look at him in confusion.  
“What are you doing?” He asked.  
“What’s the matter Brat? Got something to hide?” Levi teased.  
“No! I just wanted to know.”  
Levi reached over and ruffled Eren’s messy hair.  
“I thought maybe you should let your dad know we are stopping by.”  
“Oh, yeah that makes sense. My code is 1234.”  
Levi raised an eyebrow at Eren. Either he really didn’t have anything to hide or he was just bad with security codes.  
“What?” Eren asked somewhat defensively.  
“That’s your passcode? 1234?”  
“Yes. It’s so simple you wouldn’t guess it.”  
“Eren, everyone would guess it.” Mikasa chimed in from the front seat.   
“Whatever. You guys are just being judgmental.” Eren mumbled.  
Levi chuckled as he typed in Eren’s code. The home screen was the same photo as the lock screen. It was a beautiful picture of the ocean, Levi had to admit. The sun was setting and the rays danced off the deep blue water. Levi opened up Eren’s messages and saw that he had quite a few. There were some from “Horse Face”, some from Armin, a message from Historia, and some from his dad. He opened it up and read the latest message, which had been sent at 12 that afternoon. It read:

“Text me when you’re home. I might not be out until late tonight.”

Levi typed up a reply.

“Left sooner than expected, we are headed to your clinic.”

Levi didn’t expect an instant answer. He knew that Dr. Jaeger was a busy man. So he closed out of the messages and stuffed Eren’s phone back into his bag. He was so tempted to see why Horse Face had left 6 unread messages, but decided better of it. Though he swore he saw Mikasa’s name in the latest one.  
“Ok, your dad shouldn’t be surprised to see us now.” Levi informed.  
Eren just nodded his head. He was chewing on his lower lip and bouncing his leg up and down. Levi reached over and put a hand on his knee. He gave a reassuring squeeze.  
“It’ll be fine Eren.” He said.  
Levi knew what Eren was worried about and he was worried too, but he wasn’t going to let it show. He wanted Eren to calm down and if he was panicking it wouldn’t help any at all. Mikasa’s words from earlier played in his head. Levi hoped she was right about Dr.Jaeger being open minded.   
After another 20 minutes they pulled up to a fairly new building. The words Jaeger Klinik hovered above the front double doors in big red letters. They had arrived. Mikasa put the car in park and got out. Eren and Levi followed after her as she walked through the entrance and was greeted by a receptionist.  
“We’re looking for Dr. Jaeger.” Mikasa informed the middle aged woman.  
The women’s eyes landed on Eren who gave a small smile at her.   
“Oh! Dr. Jaeger’s son! Of course I’ll ring him right now. I don’t think he’s with any patients at the moment, probably handling paperwork in his office. There’s quite a bit of it today.” She said in an incredibly upbeat manner.  
As the receptionist made the call Levi guided Eren over to take a seat. He looked around and noted that it wasn’t very busy at the moment. There were only three other people sitting in the lobby. The walls were a light blue on the bottom half and white on the top half and each one held some kind of artwork. There were fake plants in every corner of the room and a table right in the middle that was covered in magazines, new and old. There was also a children’s toy on the table. It was a wooden puzzle of a small duck in a puddle. The receptionist was up front and sat behind a decent sized window that allowed you to see a little bit of the back area the doctors worked in. It looked like there were different doors back there, probably all leading to a different examination room. Suddenly the wooden door next to the window opened and a fairly tall man walked out. He had brown hair that was on the longer side, but neatly combed and tied. He had glasses that sat in front of his green eyes and he had a small mustache. The man wore a white doctors coat and had a stethoscope around his neck.   
“Eren, what did you do to yourself?” The man asked.  
So this was Dr. Jaeger. This was Eren’s father.  
“I tripped playing a game.” Eren responded.  
Dr. Jaeger simply motioned for Eren to follow him. Eren stood up and took a few steps before hesitating. He turned back and briefly looked at Levi before continuing forward. The action didn’t go unnoticed by his father though.  
“Your friends can come back with you if you’d like.” He said.  
Mikasa didn’t even wait for Eren to respond. She immediately stood up and walked over to the door. Levi followed suit.  
“Hello Mikasa.” Dr. Jaeger said with a warm smile.  
“Hello.” Mikasa replied.  
Then Dr.Jaeger laid eyes on Levi.  
“I’m afraid I don’t know you.” He said with a small confused wrinkle in his brow.  
“Levi,” Levi said as he extended his hand, “I’m Mikasa’s cousin.”  
Dr. Jaeger shook his hand, recognization filling his eyes.  
“Oh Levi! Then I suppose I do know you, albeit indirectly. Yes, my son has mentioned you quite a bit.”  
Levi wasn’t sure if he had imagined it or not, but he was pretty certain he saw a knowing smirk on the older man’s lips, if only for a second. Levi kept his face neutral as Dr. Jaeger studied him for a moment.   
“All right then, everyone follow me.” He said.  
Levi let everyone go first before filing in last and shutting the door behind them. So far Eren’s father seemed like a nice man and their meeting had gone smoothly. He just hoped the rest of the visit would go the same.


	26. Examinations and Explanations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some time with Eren’s father. Stuff happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like the end of this chapter is rushed. Also, once again, I am not a doctor.  
> 

Eren sat up on an examination table, Mikasa on a chair in the corner, and Levi stood close to Eren’s side. Dr. Jaeger was busy washing his hands at the moment and Levi appreciated the good hygiene. Of course, proper hygiene came along with the job. Levi also took a moment to observe his surroundings. The examination room was designed like the lobby as far as the color scheme went, but instead of random pieces of artwork the walls held posters about the human body and health tips. Surprisingly the room was big enough to accommodate all four adults without anyone feeling cramped into the space.  
“So tell me exactly what happened here.” Dr. Jaeger said as he wiped his hands dry.  
“I tripped on my shoelace while playing Dance Dance Revolution and my wrist snapped back when I landed.” Eren replied with a hint of exasperation in his voice.  
Levi figured he was tired of having to explain the situation.  
“Why don’t you take your jacket off to make things easier?” Dr. Jaeger asked.  
Eren had the sleeve of his jacket rolled up ever since their visit to Rico at the medical tent. It seemed to work fine for him, but it would probably make taking the X-Ray a whole lot easier. Besides, it was nice and warm inside the clinic now that Levi thought about it.  
Eren moved to remove his jacket, but began struggling when it came to using his bad wrist. It seemed the movement was to much for him to handle comfortably and he hissed as he attempted to pull the jacket the rest of the way off his arm.  
“Here, let me help you.” Levi said.  
Eren smiled at him with gratitude in his pretty eyes. Levi was able to get Eren free from his jacket with ease.  
“Can you help me with my hoodie?” Eren asked with big puppy dog eyes.  
Levi chuckled and gently ran a hand through Eren’s hair.  
“Of course.”  
He helped Eren pull his arms out of the sleeves and left the rest to Eren. He seemed to have it under control from there. As Eren lifted the grey hoodie above his head, the shirt he wore underneath rode up enough to expose his stomach to the occupants in the room. No one seemed bothered by it, but Levi couldn’t say the same about himself. That smooth expanse of caramel skin was all Levi could focus on. It was beautiful and well toned. His abs may not have been as defined as Levi’s, but they were definitely there.  
Eren haphazardly threw his hoodie down onto the table startling Levi out of his staring. Eren scrambled to fix his plain black T-shirt, a bright blush on his face as he glanced at Levi nervously. Levi opened his mouth to speak, but found that no words wanted to come out. What was he supposed to say anyway? Was he supposed to apologize for ogling Eren? A small cough caught their attention.  
“May I see your wrist?” Dr. Jaeger asked.  
He was looking at Eren and Levi with a curious expression on his face. Eren nodded a little too quickly and shoved his wrist at his father. Dr. Jaeger didn’t comment on it. He simply began to undo the wrapping that Rico had done. Underneath the wrapping Eren’s wrist looked miserable. The swelling had gone down a decent amount, but the bruising was still there.  
“Can you move it at all?” Dr. Jaeger asked.  
“A little. It really hurts though.” Eren answered.  
Dr. Jaeger hummed in response before he began to poke at Eren’s wrist the same way Rico had earlier. Eren flinched at the uncomfortable feeling.  
“Sorry son. I’m just making sure nothing is out of place.” Dr. Jaeger said.  
Eren nodded his head in understanding. Levi reached over and rubbed at Eren’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.  
“So Levi,” Dr. Jaeger said, “tell me about yourself. There has to be something I haven’t heard about from my son.”  
Levi was caught off guard by the question. He wasn’t expecting Eren’s father to take an interest in him, at least not until they made their relationship known. However, this was the perfect opportunity to make a good impression. Levi composed himself and spoke with confidence.  
“I’ve been studying in France for the past four years and this is my first time in the states since I left.”  
“That’s interesting. Where did you get the money to study over seas?”  
“I worked multiple jobs throughout high school and saved up. I also earned a few scholarships as valedictorian.”  
“Yes, Eren told me you were at the top of your class. He was quite inspired to do the same.”  
“Mikasa mentioned that he made the top ten. I was very impressed.” Levi said with a smile at Eren.  
“I hope you put your knowledge and money to good use.” Dr. Jaeger said.  
“Yes sir. I studied business management.” Levi replied.  
Eren’s father hummed in approval before asking his next question.  
“Why did you go to France to study? Couldn’t you have done that here?”  
He could have, but his mother’s wish for him to visit France drove him to leave the states. Levi’s heart clenched at her memory. It wasn’t an easy story to tell and he didn’t feel like opening up and being vulnerable with a man he’d just met.  
“It’s a personal reason.” He stated sadly.  
There was a warmth in his hand now. Levi looked to see that Eren had grabbed a hold of it and was squeezing it slightly. He was giving Levi a look that made him feel like it was all going to be ok.  
“Are you back permanently?”  
Dr. Jaeger’s voice and question snapped Levi’s attention away from Eren. Just how long was he planning on staying? Levi never intended to enter a relationship during his visit and he sure as hell didn’t take his stay in the states into consideration when he’d asked Eren to date him. He was too caught up in the moment and the day. Levi wanted to say that he was back permanently, but where would he live? He didn’t want to crash at Kenny’s for too long. There was also the fact that he still owned an apartment with Farlan and their friend Isabel. Was he just supposed to call them and say he wasn’t coming back?  
“Levi?”  
Eren was looking at Levi with big questioning eyes.  
“You are staying here...right?” Eren asked.  
Shit. Levi didn’t know what to say to Eren. He could hear the worried tone in Eren’s voice. He knew what the brunette wanted him to say.  
“I...I’m not sure.” Levi answered truthfully.  
“What?! What do you mean you’re not sure?!”  
Eren had gone from worried to frantic in a heartbeat. Anger seemed to bubble beneath his distress. Levi needed to diffuse the situation soon or they’d be having their first argument in front of Mikasa and Eren’s father.  
“Eren, I want to stay.” Levi stated.  
“Why don’t you?” Eren asked.  
“It’s not that simple. I never intended for this to be permanent.”  
Eren’s eyes widened at that statement. Tears sprung to his eyes and Levi quickly realized the error of his words.  
“So...this...were you lying to me earlier?” Eren asked sadly.  
“No! That’s not what I meant. I’m talking about my visit to the states. That’s all it was supped to be, but now I really do want to stay. I just have to go back to France to tie up some loose ends.”  
Eren blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to clear the tears away, and nodded his head.  
“So when do you leave?” He asked quietly.  
“I’ll be here all week and then I’m going back, but it won’t last too long. I promise.”  
Levi was very aware of Dr. Jaeger’s eyes on him. He knew that Eren’s outburst and his promise to return sounded like there was more to them than they were letting on. There was, of course, but Levi didn’t know when Eren wanted to fill his father in on that fact.  
“Are you alright son?” Dr. Jaeger asked.  
“I’m fine.” Eren said.  
“Ok. We should head over to get your wrist X-rayed. I ask that your friends stay behind this time.”  
“Ok.”  
Eren hopped off the examination table and followed his father out of the room leaving Levi and Mikasa behind.  
“I didn’t think about you going back to France.” Mikasa mumbled.  
Levi looked at her and noticed she’d buried her face into her scarf. Her eyes were down cast and she projected a disappointed aura around her.  
“I thought you would have,” Levi said, “I did say it was a visit when I wrote you.”  
Mikasa shrugged her shoulders. She really did seem down.  
“You ok?” Levi asked.  
“I just...I guess I wanted you back so bad I completely ignored that detail about you visiting. I’ve really missed you.”  
Levi almost didn’t catch that last part, but he did. He walked over to stand in front of her and knelt down so that they were eye level.  
“It’s like I told Eren, I’ll be back. I promise.”  
He ruffled Mikasa’s hair like he used to and that earned him a smile and a slap to the arm.  
“Don’t mess up my hair.” Mikasa said playfully.  
“Don’t be such a brat about it.” Levi teased.  
It wasn’t long before Eren and his father came back into the room. Mikasa was still in her seat and Levi was now leaning against the wall next to her, his arms crossed as if he were bored.  
“Alright, I’m just going to print out the x-rays and we can go over them together.” Dr. Jaeger said before he exited the room once again.  
Mikasa excused herself to the restroom leaving Eren and Levi to themselves. Eren hopped back up onto the table and Levi took Mikasa’s seat. It was quiet for a moment before Eren spoke up.  
“I’m sorry I freaked out on you a while ago.” He said.  
“It’s fine Eren. You had a right to freak out. I’m sorry I wasn’t very clear with everything.”  
Eren nodded his head, but kept his gaze down. Levi stood up from his spot and stood in front of Eren. He gently tilted Eren’s face upwards to look him in the eye.  
“I wish you didn’t have to leave. We’ve only just started dating.” Eren said.  
“I know, but we have a whole week left together and then we’ll just be long distance for a bit.” Levi replied.  
“Yeah. I guess that works.”  
“I know it’s not ideal and I’m sorry about that. I didn’t think about any of this when I was with you today. You’re very distracting, you know that?”  
Eren laughed a little before tilting his head to the side, a cocky smile on his face.  
“Oh yeah?” He pushed Levi to go on.  
“Yeah. You’re a beautiful brat. It gets hard to focus on anything else.”  
Eren blushed hard.  
“Th-thanks.” He stuttered.  
Levi laughed. It was cute how Eren went from cocky to shy in the blink of an eye. Levi couldn’t help himself as he leaned in to kiss those pink lips. Eren seemed to be becoming more comfortable with Levi’s kisses, but he still moved his lips hesitantly against Levi’s.  
“Am I interrupting?”  
Dr. Jaeger’s voice filled the room. Levi felt Eren jolt at the sound and immediately break away from him. In the doorway stood Eren’s father looking expectantly at the two of them. Levi guessed it was time for them to tell him what was going on.


	27. We’re Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth comes out about Eren and Levi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING*  
> Eren has a panic attack in this chapter, it’s not very long and it’s not very detailed, but I didn’t want anyone caught off guard.   
> Also, I’m still not a doctor and I’m sorry if this chapter is a mess and full of mistakes. I feel like I lost my magic DX

Eren looked like a deer in headlights. Dr. Jaeger still stood in the doorway, waiting for someone to answer him. Levi was waiting for Eren to say something, but the fear in those mismatched eyes told him that he would have to step up to the plate.  
“Eren and I are a couple.” Levi stated.   
Best to get right to the point. Dr. Jaeger wasn’t stupid, that much was obvious from the multiple degrees hanging above the doorway. He had to have picked up on something going on between Levi and Eren. Walking in on them kissing probably only confirmed his assumptions. It was just a matter of how he would react to the news.  
“Eren, is this true?” Dr. Jaeger asked.  
Eren didn’t answer. His eyes were still wide with fear and shock. Dr. Jaeger’s brow furrowed in concern as he stared at his son. Levi noticed that Eren’s hands were trembling. When he heard the hitch in his breath he knew immediately what was happening. Had Levi not been standing in front of him, Eren probably would have fallen face first off the examination table.   
“Eren! Hey, it’s ok. Everything’s ok. Just breathe.” Levi said as he grabbed Eren by his shoulders and guided his head to his chest.  
Eren’s breaths were coming in short, desperate gasps. His father had crossed the room in no time. He stood close by, but otherwise let Levi handle the situation.   
“In and out Eren. In and out.” Levi instructed in a soft gentle tone.  
He rubbed a hand up and down Eren’s back in hopes that it would help him somehow. Dr. Jaeger looked like he wanted to jump in and take over, his need to help his son evident in his green eyes.   
“Please calm down Eren.” He pleaded from beside Levi.  
It took some time and a lot of coaxing from Levi, but eventually Eren’s breathing evened out. He still shook slightly, but he seemed to be coming down from his attack.   
“Are you ok?” Levi asked.  
“Mm a little dizzy.” Eren mumbled, his face still buried in Levi’s chest.  
“Eren, what happened? You haven’t had an attack since your mother passed.” Dr. Jaeger asked.  
At the sound of his father’s voice, Eren slowly pulled away from Levi, but kept a death grip on his coat with his good hand. He didn’t look up at his father, choosing instead to look at the ground below him. A small sob resounded in the room.   
“I-I don’t want to lose you. You’re the only parent I have left and...please don’t hate me.” Eren choked out.  
“Why would I hate you?” Dr. Jaeger asked.  
“Because I’m dating a man.”  
“I don’t care that you’re dating a man, I’m just concerned that you’re moving too fast.”  
Eren finally met his father’s eyes.   
“You...you don’t care that I’m gay?” He asked in a whisper.  
“Of course not. Who you love doesn’t change the fact that you’re my son and it certainly doesn’t change the person you are.”  
Eren wiped at his tears as a smile formed on his face. Levi sighed in relief. Things could have gone very differently and if he was being honest, he probably would have punched Dr. Jaeger in the face if he had uttered one word of disgust towards Eren. Thankfully it hadn’t come to that, but as accepting as Eren’s father was, he looked at Levi with a certain amount of distrust in his eyes.   
“I still have my concerns,” Dr. Jaeger stated, “you’ve only just met each other. I’m afraid you’re rushing into things. Levi himself said that he never planned on staying. What if he decides he doesn’t feel the way he thinks he does once he’s away again?”   
“But he said he’d come back! He even told me we’d be long distance, we’d make it work.” Eren defended.  
Dr. Jaeger seemed to be studying Levi now. Levi refused to shrink under the scrutiny and met his gaze head on.   
“I can assure you, my feelings for your son are real.” Levi stated.  
He received no response. Instead Dr. Jaeger kept up the staring contest. Levi could see him searching for something in his eyes, he only hoped he found what he was looking for.   
“Ah young love,” Dr. Jaeger said with a wistful smile on his face, “Carla and I were the same way.”  
Levi was a little thrown by the sudden change in mood, now he knew where Eren got it from, but he wasn’t complaining.   
“Just continue to be good to him.” Dr. Jaeger directed at Levi.  
He nodded his head in response. He understood Dr. Jaeger’s concerns. Any parent would have their doubts about someone who was practically a stranger swooping in and stealing their kid away. Levi meant what he said though. His feelings for Eren were real and they weren’t going to change.   
“How about we get into these X-rays?” Dr. Jaeger asked.  
As if on cue, Mikasa walked back into the room. Her timing was perfect, so perfect that Levi wondered how long she had been waiting outside the door. She gave him a thumbs up as Dr. Jaeger turned to pin up the X-rays and took her original seat in the corner. She must have heard everything. Levi appreciated her giving them their privacy and shot her a thumbs up back.   
The black and white images of Eren’s wrist were on display for everyone to see. Levi didn’t know much about what he was looking at, but Dr. Jaeger walked everyone through it.  
“You see this right here?” He asked as his finger drew a circle around the center of Eren’s wrist.   
“This is a tear in the ligament connecting the scaphoid and lunate bones. It’s no wonder you’re having difficulty moving your wrist. These bones usually ensure fluid movement, but with the tear they’re not exactly in their proper placement. Luckily it doesn’t look like you’ll be needing any surgery for this. What I’m going to do is place you in a cast and prescribe some medication.”   
Dr. Jaeger grabbed a clip board and began scribbling things down. Once he was satisfied with his notes he begun rummaging through one of the cabinets and pulling out supplies. He excused himself for a moment before coming back in with even more stuff in his hands. Levi assumed everything he had was needed for Eren’s cast.  
“This won’t take too long.” Dr. Jaeger said as he got to work on Eren’s wrist.  
He was right and it didn’t take too long. It was probably about thirty minutes later when Eren was finally good to go. Levi grabbed Eren’s jacket and hoodie for him and helped him off the examination table. Mikasa stretched out her back before walking over to the door, ready to leave.  
“Just be careful not to get your cast wet and keep your arm elevated.” Dr. Jaeger reminded Eren as he handed him his prescription papers.   
“Thanks dad.” Eren said.  
Levi noticed that more people had shown up since they first arrived. Eren was talking to the receptionist so Levi and Mikasa sat down to wait for him.   
“I’m glad things worked out with Eren’s father.” Mikasa said.  
“Yeah, me too.” Levi responded.  
“So what do you want to do now?”  
Levi shrugged his shoulders. He kind of thought they’d all just go home after this. He didn’t know what else to do. He supposed they could go out to eat or something.  
“How about pizza and a movie?” Mikasa asked.  
Levi smiled softly at her. He liked that idea. The kid in him was happy to be hearing those words again.   
“So what now?” Eren asked as he walked over to where they sat.  
“Pick a movie Brat, we’re grabbing a pizza and heading to Mikasa’s.” Levi replied.   
Mikasa pulled out her phone and began placing an order at the nearest pizza place. Soon they were all back in her car and headed to pick up the food. Eren was tossing around movie ideas, insisting that they all agree before picking one. Mikasa wanted martial arts, Eren wanted mystery, and Levi wanted a good story. Eventually they agreed on some action spy flick and made their way back to Mikasa’s house. As soon as Levi walked in the door he was tackled by a small raven haired woman.   
“Levi! It’s been so long! Look at you, you look so much like your mother. How are you?”   
“Hello Aunt Hikaru. I’m fine.” Levi said as he attempted to pry his aunt off of him.   
He had to admit he missed her hugs. Eren and Mikasa walked in after him and as soon as she saw Eren’s wrist she let go of Levi to fret over him instead. Levi took this moment to go into the kitchen and grab some plates and sodas. Mikasa followed him and set the pizza on the table.  
“Where’s dad?” Mikasa called out to her mom.  
“He’s working late tonight.” Aunt Hikaru said as she walked in with Eren in tow.   
Levi chatted with her some more while he grabbed pizza for him and Eren. Mikasa went to grab some blankets and pillows while Eren set up the movie.  
“So, how are things in your love life? Anyone special?” Aunt Hikaru asked with a lilt in her voice.  
“If you’re asking about Eren, we’ve officially entered a relationship.” Levi answered.  
“Yes! That’s wonderful! Mikasa told me you were head over heels for him and I could tell he felt something for you too.”  
“Of course she told you.”  
His aunt just laughed at that and pushed him out of the kitchen once Eren called his name. Mikasa was in a recliner, blanket draped over her legs, while Eren occupied the couch with several pillows around him. He scooted over and patted the spot next to him for Levi to sit. Levi got comfortable next to Eren and took a bite of his pepperoni pizza. He couldn’t think of a better way to end the day.


	28. The End of the Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eveyone goes their separate ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking around with this fic!! It’s been fun. <3  
> This feels a little rushed to me so let me know what you guys thought about this chapter!

The movie wasn’t too terrible. Levi noticed a couple of plot holes and some questionable decisions on the main characters part, but overall it was enjoyable. He just had to turn his brain off and go with the flow. Aunt Hikaru had come in and taken everyone’s empty plates some time ago and Levi placed his half empty Vanilla Coke can on the floor. He was laying down with Eren snuggled up between him and the back of the couch, using Levi’s chest as a pillow. There were only forty minutes left of the movie and Eren was softly snoring on top of him. He ran his hands through his soft brown hair and contemplated waking him up. If Eren slept through the end he would be pissed about it. Levi knew he really wanted to know if the main character ever got to see his girlfriend again so he began lightly tapping a finger against Eren’s forehead.  
“Hey Brat, you’re gonna miss the end.” He whispered.  
Eren’s face scrunched up and he readjusted himself climbing more onto Levi, practically using him as a mattress.  
“Come on, it’s not even that late. You can’t be that tired.”  
Eren didn’t reply. He only began his soft snores again, signaling he’d fallen back into a deep sleep.  
“Let them sleep Levi, it’s been a long day.” A deep male voice said from the door way.  
Levi tore his eyes away from Eren to see his uncle walking into the room and removing his work shoes. Once his shoes were off he made his way over to Levi and ruffled his hair as if he were still a child.  
“Good to see you again kid.” He said fondly.  
“You too Uncle Kaleb.” Levi responded.  
“You are aware that there’s a 138 pound male sleeping on top of you, right?”  
His uncle’s voice held a playful tone.  
“Is there? I guess that explains why I can’t move.” Levi quipped.  
Uncle Kaleb laughed in response, but cut himself off quickly so that he wouldn’t wake anyone.  
“Is Mikasa asleep to?” Levi asked while he absentmindedly stroked Eren’s hair.  
“Yup. Out like a light.”  
Levi wanted to say something about them being brats that couldn’t stay up past their bedtime, but quickly realized just how tired he felt. Now that he thought about it, his eye lids were pretty heavy and the couch was pretty comfy. Eren’s warmth and the contentment of having him close only served to relax Levi even more, but he was determined to see the movie through to the end. Or perhaps he was too stubborn to admit to himself that he couldn’t stay up anymore either. Levi didn’t even realize that his uncle had left the room and gone into the kitchen with his aunt. He must’ve been more tired than he thought.  
The sound of a gunshot on the screen managed to wake him up a bit. Levi watched as a fight broke out between the main character and the main villain. They had ditched their guns and were using martial arts in hand to hand combat. Levi was impressed by the fighting skills the characters had. He personally thought the action was the best part of the film. Half way through the fight Levi’s eyes began to drift shut. He tried his best to keep them open, but it was getting harder to do so. He finally gave in and let them close, but he could still hear what was happening in the movie. He heard happy voices and a woman crying. This was the part that got him to pry his eyes open. He watched as the woman ran into her lover’s arms and he spun her around. There was a passionate kiss followed by an “I love you” and the scene ended with the two holding each other close. The next scene was a domestic one. There had been a time jump of a year and the two lovers were living peacefully in the county side, waking up in each other’s arms to a beautiful sunrise. Levi couldn’t stop his mind from wondering if he’d have that with Eren. Would Eren still want him when he came back from France? Would they hug and kiss like the two on screen had? Would Eren put up with Levi long enough to make a home together? Levi’s last thought before he lost to the pull of sleep was that he’d get Eren a golden wedding ring with an emerald in it to match his beautiful eyes.  
It didn’t feel like he’d been asleep long when Levi felt someone shaking his shoulder. It was really irritating given how comfortable he had been. His sleep was being rudely interrupted and he did not appreciate it.  
“Levi, let me take you and Eren home.”  
That was his aunt’s voice. He could still feel Eren on top of him, his breathing a steady and calming rhythm. Levi really wanted to go back to sleep, but there was a part of his brain that was awake and that part was telling him that Eren needed to go home and that he himself should probably go back to Kenny’s. He slowly opened his eyes and saw his aunt staring down at him with a gentle smile.  
“Should I wake Eren or do you want to?” She asked.  
“I’ll wake him up.”  
“Ok, I’ll wake up Mikasa and send her to her room.”  
Levi nodded as Aunt Hikaru left him for Mikasa. He could hear her saying Mikasa’s name followed by a grumble from the girl. Levi attempted waking Eren up by placing a hand on one of his shoulders and jostling him lightly.  
“Eren, you gotta get up.” He said.  
There was no response so Levi tried again, shaking him harder this time.  
“Eren, we’ve got to get you home. Come on, get up.”  
This time he received an annoyed grunt in response. Levi loved Eren, but he really did need to wake up so that he could go home. He sighed and rolled Eren off of him and onto the couch. Levi stood up and watched as Eren’s eyes cracked open, an annoyed and confused look on his face.  
“You awake now?” Levi asked.  
Eren rubbed at his eyes and yawned.  
“Is the movie over?” He asked Levi in return, voice scratchy with sleep.  
Levi turned to look at the clock above the tv. He didn’t even know what time it was anymore. Apparently two hours had passed since the movie ended.  
“It’s been over for a while.” Levi answered.  
“My mom’s taking you both home.” A sleepy Mikasa said.  
She walked over to the couch and leaned down to hug Eren.  
“I’m going to bed. Good night Eren.” She said.  
Eren smiled and hugged her back.  
“Good night Mikasa.” He said in a soft tone.  
Mikasa let go and turned to Levi.  
“Good night Levi. I’m really happy we got to hang out again. Are we doing anything tomorrow?” She asked.  
“Why don’t you and Kenny come over for dinner?” Uncle Kaleb said from the kitchen doorway.  
“That’s a wonderful idea! We haven’t had a proper Ackerman dinner in far too long,” Aunt Hikaru chimed in, “Eren you’re welcome to come too.”  
Eren stood up from the couch and popped his back. He smiled at Mikasa’s mother and father, but shook his head no.  
“I don’t want to intrude on your family get together.” He explained.  
“You’re basically family anyway, but I won’t force you if you don’t want to.” Mikasa’s mother replied.  
Eren turned to Levi and opened his mouth to ask something, but closed it quickly as he looked around the room. It was clear there was too much of an audience for him to ask what he wanted. A small blush appeared on his cheeks and suddenly everyone had a reason to leave the room. Mikasa stated that she was off to bed, Aunt Hikaru claimed she had to find her keys, and Uncle Kaleb said he was going to shower. That left Levi and Eren to themselves just long enough for them to have a moment.  
“Do I get to see you tomorrow?” Eren asked in a whisper.  
Levi smiled at the brunette. It was cute that he was embarrassed about asking for time with him, but Levi wasn’t completely sure why he was embarrassed in the first place.  
“Yeah, of course. You don’t have to be embarrassed about asking me out.” Levi stated.  
“I just don’t want to come off as clingy and desperate.”  
“You’re not, trust me and you know you can come to dinner. You’re not interrupting.”  
“It’s a family dinner though, I’m not an Ackerman.”  
Eren Ackerman. That had a nice ring to it.  
“Alright, well we can spend the day together. You can help me pick out a new phone.” Levi decided.  
Eren smiled brightly before a yawn took over him. Aunt Hikaru poked her head out of the kitchen doorway and held up her keys.  
“Are you two ready to go or do you need more time?” She asked.  
“We’re ready.” Levi said.  
The ride home was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. The radio was on low enough to hear it, but not loud enough to make out all of the words. Levi was sitting in back with Eren who was leaning his head against the window and watching the scenery pass by. Levi could see his eyes starting to drift shut again so he reached over and poked him in the shoulder to keep him from falling asleep before he got home. Eren poked him back with more force than necessary.  
“Sorry, but waking you up isn’t easy and I’m not about to do it again.” Levi said teasingly.  
“Whatever,” Eren mumbled half asleep, “you’re strong enough to carry me.”  
They pulled up to Eren’s first. Levi got out with him and walked him up to his front door. They stood under the porch light that illuminated their surroundings in a soft white glow. Eren’s long eyelashes cast shadows across his tanned cheeks and Levi was momentarily struck by his beauty.  
“I’ll meet you right here tomorrow at 11 so be ready.” Levi stated before he could get caught up marveling at Eren.  
“I will. Can we stop by Mikasa’s? I left my pikachu in her car.”  
Levi chuckled and leaned up to kiss Eren on the cheek.  
“Sure. I’ll see you tomorrow then. Good night Eren.” He said.  
“Good night Levi.”  
Eren disappeared into his house. Levi stood at the door a little longer and waited to hear the click of the lock sliding into place. He walked back to the car and climbed into the front seat this time. His Aunt was smiling at him like an idiot. He raised an eyebrow at her.  
“So cute. I’ve never seen you like that with anyone.” She said.  
It wasn’t long before they reached Kenny’s. Levi thanked his aunt and wished her a good night before exiting the vehicle and walking into his childhood home. The lights were on in the living room where Kenny was drinking a beer and watching some kind of western. Levi plopped down on the couch next to him and was immediately handed a beer. Kenny was no alcoholic, but he did love to indulge from time to time, especially when he was watching country western movies. He loved the genre so much that Levi was certain he was born into the wrong era.  
“Hey runt, how’d the day go?”  
Levi opened his beer and took a drink. It wasn’t the best brand around, but it was Kenny’s favorite. Levi looked at the man he considered a father figure and filled him in on his day.  
“It was good. The park was pretty entertaining and I’m dating Eren now.”  
Kenny let out a laugh and slapped Levi on the shoulder.  
“That’s my boy! Going straight for what he wants and getting it.”  
Levi rolled his eyes at his uncle’s enthusiasm. He placed the beer down on the wooden coffee table in front of them and stood up to stretch.  
“I’m gonna head to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He stated.  
Kenny just tipped his beer in his direction. Levi walked up the familiar staircase and headed to his old room. Kenny’s voice carried up the stairs, his yee-haws following Levi until he stepped into his room and shut the door. Levi was so ready for bed. When he left for the amusement park that morning he didn’t know what to expect, he didn’t even really want to go when Mikasa had first asked him. Now he was glad he went and that the day unfolded the way it did. Tomorrow he’d spend time with Eren and he’d be sure to make the most of their week together before he left again. Of course he’d spend time with Erwin and Hanji as well, but he didn’t see any reason Eren couldn’t tag along. He’d have to introduce them properly anyway. Levi wondered if they’d be spending anytime with Eren’s friends as well. He would like to meet them and the way Mikasa described them they seemed like an interesting bunch. Levi stripped down to his boxer briefs and climbed into bed. He’d figured he could shower in the morning before heading out to meet Eren. He got comfortable under his black blanket and drifted off to sleep. That night his dreams were filled with roller coasters, dancing dinosaurs, bumper cars, funnel cakes, and a brat with two different colored eyes who seemed to light up his entire world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End.

**Author's Note:**

> There will be more chapters if anyone is interested. Hopefully they’ll be longer and better.


End file.
